PARIS: Over a hundred top figures from the world of entertainment signed an open letter Saturday in support of UN Palestinian human rights expert Francesca Albanese, who faces calls to resign over comments about the war in Gaza.&nbsp;France and Germany have called for Albanese to step down over remarks last weekend in which she referred to a &quot;common enemy of humanity&quot; after criticizing &quot;most of the world&quot; and the media for enabling Israel&#39;s &quot;genocide&quot; in Gaza.&nbsp;Critics and Israel have accused the UN Special Rapporteur of referring to Israel as a &quot;common enemy&quot;, while Albanese has denounced this as a &quot;manipulation&quot; and &quot;completely false&quot;.&nbsp;In a letter organised by the Artists for Palestine group and shared with AFP, over 100 cultural figures backed her, including actors Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem, Nobel-winning author Annie Ernaux and British musician Annie Lennox.&nbsp;The signatories &quot;offer our full support to Francesca Albanese, a defender of human rights and therefore also of the Palestinian people&#39;s right to exist,&quot; the letter says.&nbsp;&quot;There are infinitely more of us, in every corner of the Earth, who want force no longer to be the law. Who knows what the word &#39;law&#39; truly means,&quot; it concludes.&nbsp;Published in French on the website of Artists for Palestine, it also reproduces the full remarks by Albanese who was speaking via videoconference at a forum last Saturday organised by the Al Jazeera TV network.&nbsp;Other celebrities to offer support for her include actresses Rosa Salazar and Asia Argento, Oscar-nominated film directors Yorgos Lanthimos and Kaouther Ben Hania, Latin music star Residente, and photographer Nan Goldin.&nbsp;A group of French MPs sent a letter to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday denouncing Albanese&#39;s remarks as &quot;antisemitic&quot;.&nbsp;Barrot called for her to step down a day later, saying that France &quot;unreservedly condemns the outrageous and reprehensible remarks&quot;.&nbsp;German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday said her position was &quot;untenable&quot;.&nbsp;&#39;Shame of our time&#39;Albanese is one of the most outspoken critics of Israel&#39;s more-than-two-year bombardment of Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 people and the destruction of most of the territory&#39;s infrastructure. She has called it &quot;the shame of our time&quot; and says she always asks prime ministers, presidents and foreign ministers the same question: &quot;How do you sleep? When will you act?&quot; The Italian-born legal expert, who began her unpaid role in 2022, was targeted with sanctions by the Trump administration in July last year over what it called her &quot;biased and malicious&quot; work.&nbsp;&nbsp;UN special rapporteurs like Albanese are independent experts who are appointed by the UN rights council, but do not speak on behalf of the United Nations.&nbsp;UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres distanced himself from Albanese on Thursday when his spokesman said &quot;we don&rsquo;t agree with much of what she says.&quot; &quot;We wouldn&rsquo;t use the language that she&rsquo;s using in describing the situation,&quot; his spokesman Stephane Dujarric added.&nbsp;The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas&#39;s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people. On that day, militants abducted 251 people into Gaza.

United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese looks on at the end of a press conference on the human rights situation in Gaza in Geneva on September 15, 2025. (Photo: AFP/File)

Europe

In a letter organised by the Artists for Palestine group and shared with AFP, over a 100 cultural figures back her, including actors Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem, Nobel-winning author Annie Ernaux and British musician Annie Lennox.

Top entertainment figures back under-fire UN Palestinians expert 

RAMALLAH: Writings and correspondence from jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti will be collected in a new book due out later this year, with his family expressing hope on Friday that it would give a new audience insight into his mindset.&nbsp;&quot;Unbroken: In Pursuit of Freedom for Palestine&quot; will be published in November and feature &quot;private letters to his family, letters to public figures, press interviews, public statements, important historical documents&quot; and personal photos, according to publisher Penguin Random House&#39;s Vintage division.&nbsp;It will also include excerpts from his previous book, 2011&#39;s &quot;1000 Days in Solitary Confinement&quot;, which was previously only available in Arabic, Vintage said.&nbsp;Sometimes called the &quot;Mandela of Palestine&quot; by his supporters, Marwan Barghouti, 66, was one of the leaders of the second intifada, the Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, and is often cited as a possible successor to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.&nbsp;In June 2004, an Israeli court sentenced him to five life sentences after finding him guilty of involvement in four anti-Israeli attacks that killed five people.&nbsp;&quot;We just want to raise the awareness about who he is, why is he important for the Palestinian cause,&quot; Arab Barghouti, who lives in the occupied West Bank, told AFP. &quot;These are his writings so everyone can have access to them.&quot;&nbsp;He added that his mother Fadwa, who has campaigned for her husband&#39;s release over the years and wrote the book&#39;s introduction, also hoped the publication would broaden the reach of Marwan Barghouti&#39;s thoughts.&nbsp;&quot;She really wishes that people can hear from him and see what he thinks and see his writings, especially his grandchildren,&quot; Arab said.&nbsp;The book&#39;s publication will come roughly a year after his family and supporters launched a new campaign to secure Barghouti&#39;s release, after his imprisonment caught US President Donald Trump&#39;s attention.&nbsp;In an interview with Time magazine in October 2025 -- shortly after a US-brokered ceasefire went into effect in Gaza -- Trump was asked if he thought Barghouti, as a potentially unifying Palestinian leader, should be released from prison.&nbsp;Trump responded that he had previously been approached with that question and would be &quot;making a decision&quot; on the matter, but did not elaborate.&nbsp;Though Arab Barghouti has not been allowed to speak to his father in three years, he said the elder Barghouti represents Palestinian unity and the best chance for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians.

Middle East

In Pursuit of Freedom for Palestine, will collect jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti’s writings, letters, and photos, offering insight into his mindset, activism, and role in Palestinian unity and the two-state solution.

Jailed Palestinian leader Barghouti's writings to be collected in new book

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s disaster management authority sent another humanitarian aid shipment to the people of Palestine on Monday, according to a statement from the Press Information Department. At the special directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the 28th relief shipment, comprising 100 tons of tents, was dispatched by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). &ldquo;The relief goods were dispatched via a special flight from Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, to Al-Arish, Egypt, for further delivery to Gaza,&rdquo; the statement said. The total humanitarian aid sent to Palestine has now reached 2,727 tons. Since October 2023, Pakistan has sent several consignments of humanitarian aid to Gaza, aiming to ease the suffering of civilians, especially women and children affected by the conflict. &ldquo;Government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan stand firmly with the people of Palestine in this difficult time and will continue to make every possible effort to support them and address their humanitarian needs,&rdquo; it added.

The relief shipment, comprising 100 tons of tents, was dispatched by the National Disaster Management Authority.

Pakistan sends 28th humanitarian aid shipment for Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan firmly rejected attempts to undermine Somalia&rsquo;s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, rejecting Israel&rsquo;s recognition of Somaliland as &ldquo;illegal and provocative&rdquo; and urging international action to protect peace and stability, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Saturday.&nbsp;In a statement, the foreign office said Pakistan fully supports the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia and backs all efforts to ensure enduring peace and stability in the country.&nbsp;It added that Pakistan also reiterated its &ldquo;unequivocal rejection&rdquo; of any steps aimed at the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land under any circumstances.&nbsp;Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, with Somaliland&rsquo;s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, saying his state will join the Abraham Accords.&nbsp;Qatar condemns Israel&rsquo;s Somaliland recognitionThe Foreign Ministry of Qatar said on X, that it strongly rejects the announcement of mutual recognition between the Israeli occupation authorities and the Somaliland region, affirming that this action sets a dangerous precedent. &ldquo;The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the State of Qatar&rsquo;s rejection of any attempts aimed at establishing or imposing parallel entities that would undermine the unity of Somalia and reaffirms its full support for the legitimate institutions of the Somali state,&rdquo; the statement added. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2004840194693042502&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4846d8d03ce8d371378c2f97ef0222ae9ac8fbbc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Palestine authorities&#39; reactionThe Palestinian foreign ministry said on X that Israel had previously cited Somaliland as a potential destination for deporting Palestinians, particularly those from the Gaza Strip. &ldquo;The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates recalls that Israel had previously used the name Somaliland as a destination for the deportation of members of our Palestinian people, especially from the Gaza Strip,&rdquo; the statement added. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1044px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2004710774569082898&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4846d8d03ce8d371378c2f97ef0222ae9ac8fbbc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle for self-determination and for a sovereign, independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.&nbsp;US reactionUnited States President Donald Trump said he opposed US recognition of Somaliland in an interview with the New York Post published Friday, after Israeli Prime Minister and prominent Trump ally Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would become the first country to recognize it, reported AFP. &quot;No,&quot; the president told the Post when asked about US recognition of Somaliland, adding, &quot;Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?&quot;

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, upholding Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and reiterated support for Palestinian rights. Qatar and Palestine condemned the move, while US President Trump opposed recognizing Somaliland, questioning its status.

Pakistan rejects Israel’s Somaliland recognition, upholds Somalia’s sovereignty

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza &ldquo;in the coming days,&rdquo; as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on Monday on a new US plan to end the war. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a brief statement late Saturday, Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt &ldquo;to finalize technical details,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;our goal is to contain these negotiations to a time frame of a few days.&rdquo; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Netanyahu signaled there would not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, something Hamas has long demanded. &ldquo;(Doubters) told me it&rsquo;s too good to be true. It&rsquo;s true. And with God&rsquo;s help, it will happen very soon,&rdquo; he said. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The prime minister spoke after Hamas said it has accepted some elements of the US plan. President Donald Trump welcomed the militant group&#39;s statement but on Saturday warned that &ldquo;Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump also ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza. Some in Gaza City reported a notable easing of Israeli strikes Saturday, though hospital officials said at least 22 people were killed, including women and children. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel&#39;s army said leaders instructed it to prepare for the US plan&#39;s first phase. Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said an official who was not authorized to speak to the media on the record.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Still, an Israeli strike on Gaza City&#39;s Tuffah neighborhood killed at least 17 and injured 25 others, said Al-Ahli hospital director Fadel Naim. &ldquo;The strikes are still ongoing,&rdquo; Naim said. Israel&#39;s military said it struck a Hamas member and &ldquo;regrets any harm caused to uninvolved civilians.&rdquo; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah earlier Saturday said Israeli strikes killed five Palestinians across Gaza City. <h4 style="line-height: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Momentum ahead of war&rsquo;s anniversary</h4><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump appears determined to deliver on pledges to end the war and return all hostages ahead of the second anniversary on Tuesday of the attack that sparked it. His proposal unveiled earlier this week has widespread international support. On Friday, Netanyahu&#39;s office said Israel was committed to ending the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The indirect talks on Monday are meant to prepare the way for the release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinians from Israeli detention, mediator Egypt said. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A senior Egyptian official said US envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to head the US negotiating team. The talks also will discuss maps showing the expected withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas in Gaza, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn&rsquo;t authorized to brief the media. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The official also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position toward Gaza&#39;s future. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second most powerful militant group in Gaza, said it accepted Hamas&rsquo; response to the Trump plan. The group had rejected the proposal days earlier. <h4 style="line-height: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Progress, but uncertainty ahead</h4><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages &mdash; around 20 of them believed to be alive &mdash; within three days. It also would give up power and disarm. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of Gaza, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Its statement also didn&#39;t address the issue of Hamas demilitarizing, a key part of the deal. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli general and chairman of Israel&rsquo;s Defense and Security Forum, said while Israel can afford to stop firing for a few days in Gaza so the hostages can be released, it will resume its offensive if Hamas doesn&#39;t lay down its arms.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Others said that while Hamas suggests a willingness to negotiate, its position fundamentally remains unchanged. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This &ldquo;yes, but&quot; rhetoric &quot;simply repackages old demands in softer language,&quot; said Oded Ailam, a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli army shelling in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days,” as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on Monday on a new US plan to end the war.

Netanyahu hopes to release hostages from Gaza 'in coming days'

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Sunday hinted at a breakthrough in the Middle East crisis, saying &quot;all are on board for something special,&quot; on the eve of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s visit to the White House. &quot;We have a real chance for GREATNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST,&quot; Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.&nbsp;&quot;ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!&quot; Earlier Friday, Trump had told reporters in Washington &quot;I think we have a deal&quot; on Gaza. On the same day, addressing the United Nations, Netanyahu vowed to block a Palestinian state while also committing to &quot;finish the job&quot; against Hamas, days after Britain, France and other Western powers recognized a state of Palestine. Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Trump at the White House on Monday. Hamas carried out the worst-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally from Israeli official figures, in the deadliest day in the country&#39;s history. The Palestinian militants also took 251 hostages, of which 47 remain in Gaza, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel&#39;s offensive has killed more than 65,549 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

Americas

Trump hints at 'something special' in Middle East talks

YEMEN: Israeli strikes on Sanaa killed at least nine people and wounded more than 170 on Thursday, Yemen&#39;s Houthis said, a day after they launched a drone attack on southern Israel. AFP correspondents heard explosions and saw plumes of smoke rising from three locations in the Sanaa area, in the latest retaliatory attack since the Houthis began targeting Israel in the wake of the Gaza war. Israeli forces hit several Houthi-linked targets in the rebel-held capital, Israeli officials said, warning of more attacks to come. Houthi media said the targets included a detention facility. The Israeli military later said &quot;a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted&quot;, with sirens blaring in central Israel. Rescuers in Yemen were still searching for victims of Israeli strikes, which left &quot;nine martyrs and 174 wounded,&quot; Houthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said in an updated toll on X. The Houthis&#39; Al-Masirah television channel, citing a security source, said Israel &quot;targeted one of the (security and intelligence) service&#39;s correctional facilities, which houses a number of prisoners and detainees&quot;. Al-Masirah earlier said that a power station and two residential neighbourhoods had been targeted, sharing pictures that showed low-rise buildings with bombed-out windows. One picture showed twisted metal and pieces of concrete filling the street as people looked on, with another photo showing people on the roof of a badly damaged building. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strikes &quot;dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Houthi terror organization in Sanaa.&quot; They hit &quot;several military camps... eliminated dozens of Huthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs (drones) and weaponry,&quot; Katz said on X. The Israeli military said the targets included the Houthis&#39; general staff headquarters, as well as other security and intelligence sites, including some used to store weapons and &quot;plan and execute&quot; attacks on Israel. It added that the rebels&#39; &quot;military public relations headquarters&quot; was also targeted. The military statement warned Israel would &quot;conduct additional offensive operations against the Houthi regime in the near future.&quot; Failed interceptionThe Israeli strikes on Sanaa came moments before Al-Masirah began broadcasting rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi&#39;s weekly pre-recorded speech. The impact sites were cordoned off, an AFP correspondent said. The Houthi authorities have previously warned Yemenis against publishing footage of locations hit in strikes, describing it as &quot;a service to the enemy.&quot; On Wednesday, a drone attack claimed by the Houthis struck the southern Israeli tourist resort of Eilat after failed attempts by Israel&#39;s air defences to intercept it. Rescuers reported 22 wounded, including two in serious condition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz warned of a severe response. The Iran-backed Huthi rebels began targeting Israel with missiles and drones, as well as attacking vessels they deem linked to the country, after the 2023 start of the Gaza war. The Houthis say they act in solidarity with Palestinians. Israel, in response, has carried out strikes in Yemen, mainly targeting infrastructure such as ports, power stations, and Sanaa&#39;s international airport. In August, Israel assassinated the head of the Houthi government, Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, together with other senior officials. Israeli strikes killed 46 people earlier this month, according to Houthi authorities. The dead include journalists working for the September 26 and al-Yaman newspapers, who were killed in an attack on Sanaa that targeted the Houthis&#39; military media operation.

Israeli strikes on Sanaa killed at least nine people and wounded more than 170 on Thursday, Yemen's Houthis said, a day after the rebels launched a drone attack on southern Israel.


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