عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Pentagon Chief Austin Discusses Middle East Situation With Israeli Counterpart

File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
TT
TT

Pentagon Chief Austin Discusses Middle East Situation With Israeli Counterpart

File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin phoned Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday and discussed the US steps in the Middle East to defend Israel and a Gaza ceasefire, Austin said on social media platform X.
"The US F-22 Raptors that arrived in the region today represent one of many efforts to deter aggression, defend Israel and protect US forces in the region," Austin posted.
He added: "I also stressed the importance of concluding a ceasefire deal in Gaza that releases the hostages."
Leaders of the United States, Egypt and Qatar jointly demanded Israel and Hamas return to stalled talks on the war in Gaza next week, saying Thursday that “only the details” of carrying out a ceasefire and hostage release remain to be negotiated. “There is no further time to waste, nor excuses from any party for further delay,” they said in a joint statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday that it had accepted the invitation.
Israel launched its offensive on Gaza after fighters from the Hamas group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel responded by assaulting the coastal enclave, vowing to annihilate the group. Almost 40,000 people have since been killed in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza’s health authorities, with thousands more bodies feared buried under the rubble.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Yemen Urges Aid for Tihamah Residents After Deadly Floods

Massive losses have been inflicted on the people of Tihamah in Yemen due to the floods, affecting lives, property, and agricultural lands (X)
Massive losses have been inflicted on the people of Tihamah in Yemen due to the floods, affecting lives, property, and agricultural lands (X)
TT
TT

Yemen Urges Aid for Tihamah Residents After Deadly Floods

Massive losses have been inflicted on the people of Tihamah in Yemen due to the floods, affecting lives, property, and agricultural lands (X)
Massive losses have been inflicted on the people of Tihamah in Yemen due to the floods, affecting lives, property, and agricultural lands (X)

Yemen’s Tihamah region on the Red Sea coast is facing a severe crisis after days of heavy rain caused deadly flash floods. The disaster has killed at least 45 people, with many more missing. The situation is dire, with little to no relief efforts reaching those in need.
The Yemeni government has called for urgent help to aid the residents of the region, which includes Hodeidah province and parts of Hajjah, Al Mahwit, Raymah, and Taiz.
The government has accused the Houthi group of controlling the region’s resources, such as ports and farmland, without offering any assistance to those affected by the floods.
With statistics hard to come by, estimates suggest that over 100 people are missing and more than 500 homes have been damaged in varying degrees. Thousands of families, many living in mud or straw houses, have been displaced. Social media is flooded with images and videos revealing the scale of the disaster.
Local sources in the affected areas told Asharq Al-Awsat that dozens are missing, with some estimating the number could exceed 100 due to the breakdown in communication and road closures.
The Yemeni government has urgently called on UN and international organizations to provide immediate aid to those impacted by the floods.
Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, after speaking with ministers and local officials, received initial reports on the flood damage and called for urgent international support to deliver emergency humanitarian aid.
Ali Hamid Al-Ahdal, the media officer for Hodeidah province, told Asharq Al-Awsat that most of the flood victims are in areas controlled by the Houthis. He called on international and local organizations, as well as charities, to quickly provide aid.
Al-Ahdal accused the Houthis of making the situation worse by constructing large barriers and military trenches in flood zones, which caused the water to overflow into homes, farms, and other properties.
He also warned residents to stay indoors to avoid landmines that the floods have swept from fields into roads and farmlands. Al-Ahdal urged the immediate reopening of the road between Hays and Al-Jarrahi, which the Houthis have blocked.
Social media images and videos show dozens of landmines that were dislodged by the floods, now posing a serious threat to residents and their livestock. These mines had been hidden in fields that the Houthis refused to disclose for years.