Our live coverage of Israel's war in Gaza has moved here.
March 12, 2024 Israel-Hamas war
By Chris Lau, Deva Lee, Antoinette Radford and Adrienne Vogt, CNN
Updated 12:04 a.m. ET, March 13, 2024
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Houthis fire close-range ballistic missile at US warship but miss, CENTCOM says
From CNN's Mary Kay Mallonee
The Houthis fired a close-range ballistic missile from Yemen toward the USS Laboon in the Red Sea on Tuesday, US Central Command said.
The missile did not hit the guided missile destroyer, which is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, CENTCOM said. There were no injuries or damage reported.
US forces and a coalition ship also destroyed two drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, CENTCOM said.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since shortly after Israel's war with Hamas began, with the group trying to pressure Israel and its allies to stop its offensive in Gaza.
IDF troops kill 2 Palestinians and wound 3 others north of Jerusalem, Palestinian Ministry of Health says
From CNN's Kareem Khadder, Lauren Izso and Mitchell McCluskey
Israeli troops fatally shot two Palestinians and moderately wounded three others at Al-Jib checkpoint in the northern outskirts of Jerusalem, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported Tuesday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they fired at the Palestinians after they threw Molotov cocktails over a security barrier fence onto Route 436, which runs from the Ramot neighborhood in occupied east Jerusalem to the Israeli settlement Givat Ze'ev. The IDF claimed these actions were "endangering the lives of civilians and road users."
After opening fire, the IDF said they apprehended them and transferred them for medical treatment. The health ministry reported they were transported to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah.
The two people who died were identified as Zaid Ward Shukri Khalifa, 23, and Abdullah Mamoun Hassan Assaf, 16, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.
The Palestinian death toll since October 7 has risen to 430 people after the latest shooting, according to the ministry.
The IDF said there were no further casualties among their forces and other civilians.
IDF says UN aid convoy entered northern Gaza via new route
From CNN's Lauren Izso
Six humanitarian trucks containing aid from the United Nation's World Food Programme entered the northern Gaza Strip using a new route, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
The IDF tried out a pilot program by bringing in aid trucks to Gaza through the "96th" gate on the security fence Tuesday.
"This was done as part of a pilot in order to prevent the Hamas terrorist organization from taking over the aid," the IDF said in a statement, adding that Israeli security officials carried out a security check on the trucks at the Kerem Shalom Crossing first.
Government officials will assess the pilot's results.
Israeli border police kills 12-year-old Palestinian child at refugee camp in Jerusalem, Israeli police say
From CNN’s Abeer Salman, Kareem Khadder, Jeremy Diamond and Mitchell McCluskey
An Israeli border police officer fatally shot a 12-year-old Palestinian boy in Shuafat refugee camp located in occupied east Jerusalem, according to hospital officials and an Israeli police spokesperson.
In a video obtained by CNN, the boy – Rami Al Halhouli – can be seen holding a lit firework above his head before the crackling sound of a single gunshot is heard. The boy falls to the ground just as the firework launches from his hand into the sky.
Rami arrived at Hadassah Mount Scopus hospital's trauma unit in critical condition and was pronounced dead soon after, hospital officials told CNN.
No security forces are visible in the video of Rami holding the firework, but the boy appears to be standing in front of the West Bank separation barrier.
The Israeli police spokesperson said police forces responded to a “violent disturbance” at the refugee camp and a border police officer fired “towards a suspect who endangered the forces while firing aerial fireworks in their direction.”
The police spokesperson also claimed individuals on Tuesday night threw Molotov cocktails and fired fireworks directly at security forces. Israeli police said it was the second night in a row that Palestinians in Shuafat aimed Molotov cocktails and fireworks at police forces.
CNN has asked police for further evidence of the alleged disturbances they say took place in the refugee camp Tuesday.
In a Telegram post, Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir applauded the soldier who fatally shot the boy.
"I salute the soldier who killed the terrorist who tried to shoot fireworks at him and the troops — this is exactly how you should act against terrorists — with determination and precision," Ben-Gvir said.
The shooting came on the third night of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, which has been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in previous years.
Israel claims it struck "Hezbollah military infrastructures" in Syria
From CNN’s Lauren Izso and Eve Brennan
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck “two Hezbollah military infrastructures on the Syrian front” on Tuesday, adding in a Telegram post that the strike was “conducted based on precise intelligence which incriminated the infrastructure.”
“The IDF holds the Syrian regime accountable for all activities which take place within its territory and will not allow for any attempted actions which could lead to the entrenchment of Hezbollah on the Syrian front,” the statement said.
The IDF also posted a video alleging to show the strike on “Syrian Army infrastructures” used by Hezbollah. The video appears to have been taken from a drone overlooking a compound and shows an explosion in the compound, followed by black plumes of smoke.
Hezbollah and the Syrian government have not yet publicly commented on the IDF's claim.
Aid ship headed to Gaza and dual US-Israeli citizen reported killed on October 7. Catch up here
From CNN staff
A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza departed from Cyprus on Tuesday, according to World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that said it was the first maritime shipment of humanitarian aid to the enclave.
The departure comes after announcements that Cyprus, the European Union, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom were working to establish a maritime corridor to deliver aid to Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces announced that dual US-Israeli citizen Itay Chen was killed during the October 7 attacks on Israel. Chen was one of six US citizens thought to have been held alive in Gaza. He is at least the fourth dual US citizen whose body is being held in Gaza.
Here's what to know:
- Getting food to Gazans: World Central Kitchen says it plans to distribute 200 tons of food — which equates to roughly 500,000 meals — once the vessel reaches Gaza. The provisions include rice, flour, beans, lentils, and canned meats, according to the organization. The United Nations said it welcomed the news of the aid ship, but stressed that it was “not a substitute” for overland assistance to Gazans on the verge of famine. The UN World Food Programme said a food convoy reached Gaza City on Tuesday, making it the first to successfully get to northern Gaza since February 20.
- Dual US-Israeli citizen dead: Itay Chen, a dual American-Israeli citizen, was killed on October 7 during the Hamas attacks on Israel, the Israeli military announced Tuesday. He was serving on the Gaza border on October 7, and the Israel Defense Forces said his remains were taken into Gaza after he was killed. US President Joe Biden said he was "devastated to learn" of Chen's death, and the US State Department offered its "deepest condolences" to his family.
- Status of negotiations: Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told CNN Tuesday that "we are nowhere near a deal at the moment." The Qatari spokesperson said some officials — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — "have the keys to secure a deal right now," urging them to consider negotiations. Meanwhile, CIA Director Bill Burns said there is "still the possibility" of a deal, but it is "a very tough process."
- Death toll: The Gaza health ministry said Wednesday that 31,184 people have been killed since October 7, with over 72,000 injured. CNN cannot independently confirm these numbers due to the lack of international media access to Gaza.
- Hamas-linked intelligence website issues warning to Palestinians: A Hamas-linked website, Al Majd Security, warned Palestinians that working with Israel — including facilitating the delivery of aid and food — would be considered as collaborating with the enemy and an act of betrayal against the Palestinian people. Al Majd Security is Hamas' intelligence body, founded in the 1980s by Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' political leader in Gaza, to monitor Palestinian entities directly working with Israel.
US pier off Gaza coast will be ready in about 2 months and help deliver millions of meals, Pentagon says
From CNN's Haley Britzky
The temporary pier being set up by the US military off the coast of Gaza is expected to be able to facilitate the delivery of two millions meals daily, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday.
“We expect the pier to be fully operational in approximately 60 days, which will be able to facilitate the delivery of up to 2 million meals daily,” he said.
Ryder said four US Army vessels from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) departed from Joint Base Langley-Eustis on Tuesday, bound for the eastern Mediterranean to help build the pier. Ryder did not provide the location of the pier out of concern for operational security.
US President Joe Biden announced the port plans during his State of the Union address on Thursday.
White House tries to walk back Biden's comments about Rafah offensive being a red line for US
From CNN's Samantha Waldenberg
The White House on Tuesday attempted to walk back comments President Joe Biden made over the weekend saying that an Israeli offensive of Rafah would be a red line.
“The president didn't make any declarations or pronouncements or announcements. The red line came up in a question he was responding to that question. I think he gave a full answer to it,” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters during a news briefing.
In his Saturday interview on MSNBC, Biden said that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a red line before adding in the same breath that crossing it would not result in punitive measures against Israel.
“It is a red line, but I am never going to leave Israel,” Biden said. “The defense of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line I’m going to cut off all weapons.”
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would push ahead with a military offensive in Rafah, where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering in southern Gaza. However, multiple Israeli officials said the offensive is not imminent.
When pressed by CNN’s MJ Lee, Sullivan seemed to blame the media for turning the idea of a red line into a “national security parlor game for the president.”
Sullivan added:
“He's really focused on the substance, on the policy on his concern about the protection of civilians, and about Israel being able to sustain a campaign in a way that ultimately leads to an outcome in which the people of Israel are secure. Hamas is crushed and there is a long-term solution to stability and peace in the region.”
