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Houthi ballistic missiles strike Greek-owned ship in Red Sea, US military says
A Greek owned and operated merchant ship in the Red Sea reported being struck by three anti-ship ballistic missiles launched Tuesday by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, according to US Central Command.
Merchant Vessel Laax continued on its voyage and there were no injuries reported, CENTCOM said in a statement.
During the same time, US forces destroyed five Houthi drones over the Red Sea that were launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels in the region,” the statement added.
Nearly 1 million Palestinians displaced from Rafah, UN officials say. Here's what you should know
From CNN staff
At least 940,000 people have been displaced from Rafah in the past three weeks as a result of "the intensification of hostilities and issuance of evacuation orders" by Israeli forces, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
Many of the displaced Palestinians are attempting to evacuate following devastating Israeli strikes – but they don't know where to go.
Here are more headlines you should know:
More on the Rafah strike:
- The Israeli military is looking into the possibility that the Israeli airstrike, which killed more than 45 people on Sunday, may have unintentionally set off possible stored weapons in a nearby compound and a large fire that decimated part of a camp housing displaced Palestinians, according to spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
- A CNN analysis of videos and a review by explosive weapons experts found that US-made munitions were used in the strike.
- The United States “will be watching” the results of the Israeli investigation, said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. He added that the findings should be “presented openly and transparently to us and to the world.”
- White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirbytold reporters Tuesdaythat Sunday’s airstrike did not cross President Joe Biden's red line. Kirby said he had “no policy changes to speak to” when asked if this strike would change policy – but emphasized that this strike “just happened.”
International reaction to the Rafah strike:
- French UN AmbassadorNicolas de Rivière warned of any further escalations in Rafah, saying "it is high time," for the UN Security Council "to take action and to adopt a new resolution" about the war in Gaza.
- Protesters in cities across Europe gathered to voice opposition to the deadly strike in southern Gaza.
Other Israeli attacks:
- The Israeli military killed at least 29Palestiniansin two separate attacks around Rafah,according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health and the Emergency Committee of the Rafah Governorate. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said his staff are "terrified" and are packing up and moving following the strikes.
Broken pier:
- Thetemporary pier constructed by the US militaryto transport aid into Gaza broke apart in heavy seas on Tuesday in a major blow to the American-led effort to create a maritime corridor for humanitarian supplies into the war-torn enclave, according to four US officials. An effort to reassemble the causeway and connect it to the parking area will resume when sea conditions allow, officials said.
US-made munitions were used in deadly strikeonRafah tent camp, CNN analysis shows
From CNN’s Allegra Goodwin and Avery Schmitz
US-made munitions were used in the deadly Israeli strikeona camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah on Sunday, a CNN analysis of video from the scene and a review by explosive weapons experts found.
CNN geolocated videos showing tents in flames in the aftermath of the strikeonthe camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) known as "Kuwait Peace Camp 1."
In video shared on social media, which CNN geolocated to the same scene by matching details including the camp’s entrance sign and the tiles on the ground, the tail of a US-made GBU-39 small-diameter bomb (SDB) is visible, according to four explosive weapons experts who reviewed the video for CNN.
The GBU-39, manufactured by Boeing, is a high-precision munition“designed to attack strategically important point targets,” and result in low collateral damage,explosive weapons expert Chris Cobb-Smith told CNN.
However, “using any munition, even of this size, will always incur risks in a densely populated area,”said Cobb-Smith, aformer British Army artillery officer.
Trevor Ball, a former US Army senior explosive ordnance disposal team member who also identified the fragment as being from a GBU-39,explained toCNN how he drew his conclusion.
“The warhead portion [of the munition] is distinct, and the guidance and wing section is extremely unique compared to other munitions. Guidance and wing sections of munitions are often the remnants left over even after a munition detonates.I saw the tail actuation section and instantly knew it was one of the SDB/GBU-39 variants.”
CNN’s identification of the munition is consistent with a claim made by Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari in a briefing about the tragedy on Tuesday. Hagari said the strike – which he saidtargeted senior Hamas commanders – used two munitions with small warheads containing 17 kilos of explosives, adding these bombs were "the smallest munitions that our jets could use.”
The traditional GBU-39 warhead has an explosive payload of 17 kilos.
Additionally, serial numbers on the remnants match those for a manufacturer of GBU-39 parts based in California – more evidence the bombs were made in the US.
French UN ambassador calls on UN Security Council "to take action and to adopt a new resolution"
From CNN's Richard Roth and Mohammed Tawfeeq
French UN AmbassadorNicolas de Rivière warned of any further escalations in Rafah, saying "it is high time," for the UN Security Council (UNSC) "to take action and to adopt a new resolution" about the war in Gaza.
"There must be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of the hostages. There is no safe zone for Palestinian civilians in Rafah," Rivière said in a statement Tuesday.
He added that the Security Council "must fulfill its mandate and take action now,"
"It must allow the UN to play its full role inthe Gaza Strip, in order to cover the immediate needs of the population," he said.
"France will remain committed to building a state for the Palestinians and security guarantees for Israel," Rivière added.
Doctor describes sleepless nights and "very miserable" situation in Rafah
From CNN's Sarah EL Sirgany and Mohammed Tawfeeq
The situation in Rafah is "very miserable," according to a doctor currently working in the southern Gaza city.
"All night, we couldn't sleep," Dr. Safa Jaber told Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF(Médecins Sans Frontières), in an Arabic audio message shared by the group on X with English subtitles.
"Allnight we heard the clashes, the bombings and the sound of the rockets. Nobody knows what is happening exactly. There are clashes in two different locations inTal al-Sultanarea, inthe north and the south," Jaber said.
"I am speechless,I cannot even describe what is happening. We are scared for ourselves and for our children. We are not expecting this to happen so suddenly," she added.
"Everyone is very terrified. Where shall we go?We are heading to the so-called safe zone. But there is no safe space here after what happened the day before yesterday with the burning of tents," she explained.
"We are forced tostay in tents where we will be exposed tothe heat, sand. We have to struggle to find water every day; both clean and salt water; the basic services that every human being needs to stay alive. The situation is very miserable," Jaber added.
"There is no shelter, no life, no future." Displaced Palestinians in Rafah wonder where they must move next
From Mohammed Al-Sawalhi, Sarah El Sirgany and Abeer Salman and Hira Humayun
Displaced Palestinians are attempting to evacuate following devastating Israeli strikes in southern Gaza – but they don't know where to go.
Speaking to a CNN stringer in Khan Younis, north of Rafah, people said they did not know where else to go, as they tried to head north toward Deir El-Balah in central Gaza.
Video from the stringer shows mattresses, wooden panels, chairs, and various other belongings piled on top of vehicles and donkey carts.
"What’s happening now, whether in Rafah, Khan Younis or Gaza in general, is the disastrous displacement of people. There is no shelter, no life, no future," said Ansar Mahdi, who said she's been displaced four times.
"The displacement is repugnant. When people move from one place to another, they want to live.They need money. They’ve lost their savings," she said.
"They told us to move from the north to the south. We did. We stayed in tents in abysmal conditions. No words can convey what we went through," she added.
"Where else can we go? Where the next displacement would be?" Mahdi asked.
The roads, lined by tents and piles of garbage, were busy with people and vehicles moving in search of empty spaces.
Walking on crutches, Mohamed Jarbou, said, "The elderly have been humiliated. Children humiliated. What’s wrong? They are all civilians. The resistance is not here. The resistance is fighting somewhere else. We are displaced. Why are you hitting the displaced people?"
Israeli strikes over the past two days in Rafah have forced the already displaced people to flee.
More than two dozen people were killed in Israel strikes on two camps on Tuesday, according to Palestinian officials.
The Israeli military denied striking a humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi, telling CNN, "Contrary to the reports from the last few hours, the IDF did not strike in the Humanitarian Area in Al-Mawasi.”
CNN has asked if the military struck elsewhere in Al-Mawasi,and for comment on a strike that hit the Tal al-Sultan camp.
Israeli military says it's investigating if Rafah strike set off possible stored weapons near target
From CNN's Jen Deaton
The Israeli military is looking into the possibility that Sunday's strike on Rafah may have unintentionally set off possible stored weapons in a nearby compound and a large fire that decimated part of a camp housing displaced Palestinians, according to spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
Hagari described it as one of several possibilities and did not provide any verifiable evidence to bolster the claim.
"Our investigation seeks to determine what may have caused such a large fire to ignite.We are looking into all possibilities, including the option that weapons stored in a compound next to our target, which we did not know of, may have ignited as a result of the strike," Hagari said in a press conference Tuesday.
He also said Israel is assessing social media footage from the night of the strike that appears to show secondary explosions.
Hagari thenplayed the audio of an allegedly intercepted call, described by the Israel Defense Forces as "between two Gazans about the strike in Rafah."
An unidentified speaker says an ammunition warehouse exploded, causing secondary explosions.The unknown speaker also said the Israeli strike was "small" and did not create a large crater.
CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the audio, when it was recorded, or what information the speakers in the audio had.
Hagari said the incident was being investigated bythe General Staff's Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism who he said would conduct a transparent investigation.
"Our war is against Hamas, not the people of Gaza.Which is why we convey deep sorrow for this tragic loss of life," he said.
CNN posed a follow-up question to Hagari, about whether Israel could confirm that none of the civilians killed were killed in the initial Israeli strike, only in the ensuing secondary explosions or the fire.
Hagari could not confirm that, repeating that the investigation was ongoing.
Crowds gather in European cities to protest Israel's deadly strike on camp for displaced people in Rafah
From CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau, Xiaofei Xu and Niamh Kennedy
Protesters in cities across Europe gathered to voice opposition to the deadly strike carried out Sunday by Israel on a camp housing displaced people in Rafah in southern Gaza.
In Paris, a huge crowd congregated in Place de la République, a famous spot for protests. The demonstrators then marched to the nearby Canal Saint Martin, according to a CNN producer in Paris.
“Gaza, Gaza, Paris is with you,” some protesters could be heard shouting during the second night of large Paris protests.
Large crowds also gathered outside the home of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on London's Downing Street.
In social media videos, they could be heard chanting slogans, "Blood on your hands" and "Stop arming Israel" in the direction of Downing Street.
Sunak has faced intense pressure in recent months from campaigners and opposition lawmakers to stop selling arms to Israel.
In Italy, at least 1,000 protesters occupied Bologna's main train station, according to the authority of the train station.
The protesters marched from the university district to the station and caused delays across the region, according to Italy’s national railway company.
“We brought our anger here, we will take it to the whole city,” protesters could be heard shouting.
White House says attack at Rafah camp didn't cross Biden's red line and there are "no policy changes"
From CNN's Samantha Waldenberg
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Tuesday that Sunday’s airstrike that killed dozens of people at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza, did not cross President Joe Biden's red line.
“We don’t want to see a major ground operation, we haven’t seen that at this point,” Kirby said in Tuesday’s press briefing when asked how this attack does not cross the president’s red line.
Kirby added that he had “no policy changes to speak to” when asked if this strike would change policy – but emphasized that this strike “just happened.”
At least 45 people were killed and more than 200 others injured after a fire broke out at the camp following the strike on Sunday, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and Palestinian medics.
When asked whether the president has seen some of the images from Rafah over the weekend, Kirby said he could not speak on that but that the president has been “kept apprised throughout the weekend.”
Footage obtained by CNN showed the camp in flames, with scores of men, women and children frantically trying to find cover from the nighttime assault. Burned bodies, including those of children, could be seen being pulled by rescuers from the wreckage.
Pressed on whether Israel tanks seen in central Rafah constitute a major ground operation, Kirby pointed to comments from the Israelis saying that they are operating in Rafah in a “targeted” and “precise” way.
“That's what the Israelis have said, we're not on the ground,” Kirby told reporters.
