US says airstrikes are intended to deter rebel group from attacking Red Sea shippingWelcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East.The US and Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen are both vowing escalation after the US launched a wave of deadly airstrikes on Saturday with the stated aim of deterring the rebel group from attacking Red Sea shipping.The UN humanitarian aid organisation for children, Unicef, has warned that 1 million children in Gaza “are struggling to survive without basic necessities” amid the ongoing Israeli blockade on all aid. At the beginning of the month, Israel cut off humanitarian supplies to Gaza, claiming it was part of an effort to pressure Hamas into accepting a change in the ceasefire agreement to allow for the release of hostages without an Israeli troop withdrawal. “Hundreds of thousands lack clean water and sanitation. Water is a basic human right that no one should be denied,” Unicef said in a post on X on Monday.Iran will respond to a letter by Donald Trump “after full scrutiny,” foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday. Last week, an Emirati official brought a letter from the US president proposing nuclear talks with Tehran, which Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected, saying such a proposal was “deception” from Washington.The Lebanese army has said three Syrians were killed yesterday evening after fighting on the Lebanon-Syria border near the Qasr-Hermel area. “Military units responded to the sources of the fire with appropriate weapons, reinforced their deployment, and maintained security,” the Lebanese army said. “Contacts continue between the army command and the Syrian authorities to maintain security and stability in the border area.” Continue reading…
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/mar/17/middle-east-houthis-us-yemen-israel-gaza-palestine-latest-live-news-updates
Author : Yohannes Lowe
Publish date : 2025-03-17 08:48:00
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Houthis and US both vow escalation after wave of deadly American airstrikes in Yemen – Middle East crisis live
