SANAA -- UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg on Sunday urged de-escalation in Yemen as tensions rose between the Houthi group and Israel after Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi of the Houthi-backed government was killed in Israeli airstrikes on Thursday.
"Yemen cannot afford to become a battleground for a broader geopolitical conflict," Grundberg said in a statement. "These attacks need to stop," he said, urging all parties to "use available diplomatic channels to de-escalate" and to "protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in line with their obligations under international law." (Yemen-Israel-Conflicts)
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ADEN -- Several employees of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) were arrested by the Houthi group in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday, security and humanitarian sources told Xinhua.
According to a local security official, who asked to remain anonymous, one WFP employee was taken into custody from the organization's headquarters in Sanaa, while several others were arrested from its office in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. (Houthis-UN-Staff-Arrests)
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GAZA -- The Israeli army intensified its air and ground attacks on Gaza City on Sunday, aiming to force residents to flee to the central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources.
Local sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that the Abu Iskandar and Jabalia areas in the northern part of the Gaza Strip are witnessing a dangerous escalation, with Israeli forces carrying out air and artillery bombardment targeting homes and apartments. (Israel-Gaza-Attacks)
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JERUSALEM -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that Abu Obeida, the spokesman of Hamas's armed wing, had been killed in a strike in the Gaza Strip.
Katz made the announcement in a post on social media platform X, saying that "soon, as the campaign against Gaza intensifies," more Hamas figures would be targeted. (Hamas-Spokesman-Death) ■
