February 1, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

The US carried out airstrikes against an Iranian-backed Houthi drone ground control station in Yemen and 10 Houthi drones early Thursday morning, the US Central Command said. 

These strikes are the latest in a series of attacks on Houthi weapons that the US military said were set to be launched against international shipping lanes and US warships in the region.

US officials believe there are signs that Iranian leadership is nervous about some of the actions of its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, according to multiple people familiar with US intelligence, as attacks from militia groups threaten to disrupt the global economy and significantly up the risk of direct confrontation with the United States.

The drone attack that killed three American soldiers at a US outpost in Jordan, which the US has attributed to the Iran-backed umbrella group Islamic Resistance in Iraq, caught Tehran by surprise and worried political leadership there, officials told CNN, citing US intelligence.

Iran-backed militants have launched over 160 attacks on US forces since October. And while Iran has long funded, equipped, and trained its proxy militias in the region with the goal of attacking Americans, the strike from this past weekend was the first to kill US service members since the near-daily assaults began four months ago.

US intelligence also suggests that Iran is concerned that attacks from Houthi militants in Yemen on commercial shipping in the Red Sea could upset the economic interests of both China and India, key Iranian allies.

Officials cautioned that there is no sense that Tehran’s growing wariness is likely to change its broader strategy of supporting proxy attacks on US and Western targets — although it could signal adjustments around the margins. But officials do believe that Iran is pursuing a calibrated approach to the conflict that is designed to avoid sparking an all-out war.

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The USS Carney shot down one Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile and three drones on Wednesday evening Yemen time, the US Central Command said.  

CENTCOM described the drones as Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 

CNN earlier reported that the US destroyer shot down a Houthi ballistic missile and drones. 

These strikes are the latest in a series of attacks on Houthi weapons before they are launched against international shipping lanes and US warships in the region.

More context: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been stepping up their strikes on ships in the Red Sea, which they say are revenge against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza.

The attacks have forced some of the world’s biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, which could potentially cause a shock to the global economy.

The Houthis are believed to have been armed and trained by Iran, and there are fears that their attacks could escalate Israel’s war against Hamas into a wider regional conflict.

CNN's Christian Edwards contributed reporting to this post.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the importance of the United Nations' humanitarian work inside Gaza, saying it is “absolutely vital,” while also calling again for allegations made against UN staffers in the enclave to be addressed.

In remarks alongside UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag in Washington, Blinken noted that “her mission now could not be more vital."

Blinken said that the UN must “work through the terrible allegations” made against its aid agency, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The US has suspended approximately $300,000 in aid to UNRWA as the agency investigates Israeli allegations that 13 of its personnel were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks. The US is among a growing list of countries that have suspended some or all funding to the agency.

Two aid agencies are claiming they have evidence that indicates Israel carried out a strike earlier this month on a compound housing humanitarian workers and their families in a supposed safe zone in Gaza. 

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) said an independent assessment carried out by the United Nations concluded that the damage was caused by an airstrike most likely involving a missile package exclusively possessed by the Israeli military. 

"The Israeli military is the only armed actor in Gaza with access to this weaponry," the statement on Wednesday said. The strike took place on January 18.

CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment on the claims. 

More context: Although officially designated as a safe zone by the IDF, Al Mawasi – a 5.22-square-mile (13.5-square-kilometer) coastal strip where the compound was located – has suffered several strikes in recent weeks, according to reports from the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza and the Palestinian state news agency, WAFA. 

The two organizations reiterated that attacks against these kinds of settings violate international humanitarian law.

Despite remaining committed to serving the "humanitarian imperative," the IRC and MAP likened the current situation in Gaza however to fighting a "losing battle." 

CNN is unable to independently confirm these claims due to the difficulty of reporting from the war zone. 

Without a two-state solution framework, Hamas won't be destroyed and "will flourish again," according to Israel's former security agency chief.

"The major defeat for Hamas is a future of two states. And unless we should discuss the future of two states, there is no way to defeat Hamas and to create a better political horizon for Palestinians and for Israelis," he added. 

Ayalon went on to say that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't represent the views of the majority of the Israeli people, "and unfortunately, you know, he's leading us."

"We shall have elections in a few months and we should find the right way to a better future," he added. 

Ayalon said US President Joe Biden's push for a two-state solution is perceived as strong leadership, because "he filled a vacuum of leadership in Israel." 

He also blamed extremists on both sides of the conflict for leading the region to the current situation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called for the end of the mission of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

"I think it's time that the international community and the UN itself understand that UNRWA's mission has to end," Netanyahu told a delegation of UN ambassadors.

It's the first time Netanyahu has called for an end of the mission on camera and specifically accused UNRWA officials of being complicit in the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel.

Netanyahu also addressed genocide accusations brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice, saying many of the charges at the UN’s top court were brought by UNRWA officials.  

"We need to get other UN agencies and other aid agencies replacing UNRWA if we're going to solve the problem of Gaza, as we intend to do," the prime minister added.