Western Military Forces Unite against Houthi Red Sea Attacks as IDF Pursues Hamas in Southern Gaza

Julie Stahl : Dec 21, 2023
CBN News

"But the bottom line is, these attacks have to stop. They need to stop. They're unacceptable. The United States, our allies and our partners will do what we have to do to counter these threats and to protect these ships." -Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant

(Jerusalem, Israel) – [CBN News] Seventy-five days into the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli troops are pushing south as Hamas terrorists shift their activity in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, some western military forces are banding together to protect trade routes under attack by another Iranian proxy in the Red Sea. (Screengrab Image)

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says the IDF is entering Hamas tunnels in northern Gaza to clean out what remains there.

"In the north of the (Gaza) Strip the activity is focused on the final clearing of the area in Gaza, and going underground to in-depth tunnels where we have found a very large cache of all sorts and significance, which will be revealed to the public," said Gallant.

Hamas uses underground warfare as its strategy. The military claims to have uncovered some 1,500 tunnel shafts and underground passages since the beginning of the war, and most of them have been found under schools, hospitals, mosques, and United Nations facilities.

The IDF released video of the interrogation of Ahmad Kahalot, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabaliya.

He described how he was recruited by Hamas in 2010. He also told how Hamas leaders use hospitals for military purposes, have offices there, and hide out there because they feel it's safe – that Israel won't bomb them.

Yet, Hamas officials acted as cowards, according to Kahalot, because they left people in the field while they hid themselves.

In the south, Gallant says it will take a long time to clean out the terrorists there.

"In the south of the (Gaza) Strip, Khan Younis has become the new city of terror," Gallant stated. "We are operating there, focusing our efforts. There's an action that will take place in various stages, it will take months until we reach our goals. We will not let go until we bring the seniors of this murderous organization of Hamas and we will bring them to where they deserve - to the cemetery or prison."

Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog believes Israel is ready for another hostage deal.

"Israel is ready for another humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian aid, in order to enable the release of hostages. And the responsibility lies fully with (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar and the leadership of Hamas," Herzog said.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad has released a video showing two male hostages. That follows a Hamas video release of three male hostages from a day earlier, which has given some hope that the remaining 119 abductees, including women and two children, are still alive.

To the south, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are ramping up their attacks on ships in the international Red Sea trade route, as a growing number of nations cooperate to address the challenge.

"Now, I think it's important to put it into perspective," explained US National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby. "Some six countries border the Red Sea. The Red Sea is a conduit for 10 to 15 percent of all global trade – 8 percent of global grain trade and 12 percent of global seaborne oil trade. Of this total Red Sea trade, Greek, Chinese, Japanese and German owned vessels make up 40 to 50 percent of transits. All that underscores the dependence that these economies have around the world on the strategic trade."

The route allows ships carrying oil and imported goods from Asia to cut through the Suez canal, taking weeks off the trip to Europe and saving millions in shipping costs.

Some of the world's largest shipping companies have already begun diverting their ships from the area, causing delays and higher prices.

The cost of crude oil is going up due to the situation.

Kirby indicated there would be a great deal of "naval hardware" in the Red Sea to counter the threats.

"But the bottom line is, these attacks have to stop," he insisted. "They need to stop. They're unacceptable. The United States, our allies and our partners will do what we have to do to counter these threats and to protect these ships."

It's clear, Kirby added, that Iran is behind the attacks. "They are certainly providing the means, the tools, the capabilities, the weapons, through which the Houthis are conducting these attacks. The Houthis may be pulling the trigger, but as I've said, Iran is giving them the guns." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here