Israel-Hamas war 2024 Updates
At 10:35 a.m. GMT+6 on February 4, 2024, US forces carried out a strike on an anti-ship cruise missile operated by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The strike, reported by CNN’s Jalen Beckford, was conducted as a defensive measure against a Houthi missile poised for launch against ships in the Red Sea at 4 a.m. local time on Sunday, according to US Central Command.
The US Central Command stated that the decision to conduct the strike was based on the imminent threat posed by the Houthi cruise missile to US Navy ships and other vessels in the region. This action forms part of the ongoing efforts by the US military to deter the Houthi rebels from disrupting global shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
In a separate development at 6:42 a.m. GMT+6 on the same day, CNN’s Michael Rios, Lauren Izso, and Charbel Mallo reported Israel’s military strikes on multiple Hezbollah targets in Syria and Lebanon since the onset of the Gaza war 120 days ago. According to Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), over 3,400 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and more than 50 in Syria have been targeted.
Hagari stated that the strikes aimed to disrupt Hezbollah’s supply chain of ammunition and missiles, alleged to be smuggled from Iran through Syria to Lebanon. He emphasized Israel’s commitment to intercepting and destroying these shipments before they reach Hezbollah. Additionally, Hagari mentioned the deployment of three divisions along the Lebanese border since October 7, a departure from the usual single division deployment, aimed at countering Hezbollah’s capabilities and safeguarding northern Israel.
Highlighting the intensity of the conflict, Hagari noted that over the past four months, more than 150 terrorist units have been targeted, resulting in the elimination of over 200 terrorists and commanders. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for at least eight attacks on Israeli positions, prompting retaliatory measures by the IDF, which identified several launches from Lebanon to northern Israel. However, no injuries were reported, and the IDF responded by striking the sources of the attacks.