Al Mayadeen – April 24, 2025
Israeli soldier killed, three wounded by Resistance in northern Gaza
An Israeli soldier was killed and three others wounded during confrontations in northern Gaza near Beit Hanoun, according to the Israeli military.
An Israeli soldier was killed and three others were wounded during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip earlier on Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces announced. The incident occurred in the Beit Hanoun area, close to an Israeli military post located within the occupation's buffer zone.
According to the Israeli occupation forces, the slain soldier served as a tank driver in the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade’s 79th Battalion.
Sniper, anti-tank fire cause multiple casualties
An initial IOF investigation revealed that the soldier was killed by sniper fire. In the same incident, a reservist from the 79th Battalion and an officer from the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit sustained serious injuries. Additionally, a reservist in the Gaza Division's Northern Brigade’s 8239th Battalion was moderately wounded.
The remaining occupation troops were hit by anti-tank fire, according to early findings from the IOF probe. The military believes that the group responsible for the attack managed to flee the area following the incident.
The incident highlights the ongoing intensity of confrontations in northern Gaza, particularly around Beit Hanoun, where Israeli forces maintain positions in the occupied area they dub a buffer zone.
Joint Resistance operations
Palestinian Resistance factions have intensified their operations against Israeli forces in Gaza, with both the al-Quds Brigades and al-Qassam Brigades reporting attacks on Israeli engineering units in the eastern part of Gaza City.
On Tuesday, al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, announced it had targeted an Israeli engineering force with a barrage of 60mm mortar shells. The force was reportedly operating east of al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City.
A day earlier, the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for luring an Israeli engineering unit into a pre-rigged tunnel trap in the same area. According to the group, once the unit reached the tunnel entrance, it was detonated, causing casualties among Israeli soldiers.
Dismantling Hamas 'not a realistic goal'
Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that dismantling Hamas was not currently on the government's agenda, citing the group's resilience and continued combat capabilities. "Contrary to initial assessments, Hamas still retains a significant number of fighters, some of whom are organized into brigades and battalions," the report stated, adding that Hamas' guerrilla warfare tactics are complicating the Israeli army's efforts.
Additionally, Haaretz reported that the Israeli Southern Command has acknowledged that large numbers of Hamas fighters have regrouped in the city of Rafah, further challenging Israeli military objectives in the region.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-soldier-killed--three-wounded-by-resistance-in-north
Houthi: Bab al-Mandab, Arabian Sea closed to Israeli, US ships
The leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement says retaliatory operations carried out in solidarity with Gaza by Yemeni resistance have effectively halted the movement of Israeli and US vessels near Yemen’s waters.
“The Bab al-Mandab and the Arabian Sea are closed to Israeli and American ships. That’s a fact," Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech on Thursday night.
Yemenis, he said, targeted US vessels and naval carriers in nine operations over past week, adding both public demonstrations and military operations launched in response to the “US-Israeli genocide in Palestine” will continue.
Houthi also slammed Washington for escalating aggression against Yemen, stating that the US had launched 260 attacks on civilian infrastructure in Yemen in the past week.
“The US and the Israeli regime have realized that they have failed in their anti-Yemen campaign,” he said.
Houthi condemned Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip, citing Israeli attacks on “hospitals, medical centers, and paramedics,” in Gaza, which he described as “barbaric crimes.”
Houthi also condemned Israel’s use of starvation and deprivation as a weapon of war against civilians in Gaza.
“Israeli regime prevents food and medical supplies from entering besieged Gaza Strip and impedes relief efforts in this area,” he said.
The ongoing Israeli blockade has left more than 3,500 children at risk of death due to hunger and malnutrition in the strip.
Addressing the Israeli military’s act of genocide in Gaza, al-Houthi said, “Occupation forces fear and avoid confrontations with resistance fighters in Gaza and they target defenseless civilians in the besieged Strip.”
He criticized the killing of innocent civilians, displaced persons, and the destruction of medical facilities in the strip, stating that they are “not achievements,” and reiterated that Israeli forces remain “incapable of achieving so-called objectives” in their onslaughts.
The death toll from US-Israeli genocidal war on Gaza has risen to 51,266, with nearly 117,000 Palestinians reported injured as the Israeli assault on Gaza continues.
Houthi condemned the Israeli regime for aiming to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza and stated that in the occupied West Bank, settler “acts of terrorism” and aggression are intended to confiscate Palestinian homes and expand illegal settlements.
“Israeli regime seeks to destroy refugee camps in the occupied West Bank in line with its land grab policy,” al-Houthi stated, also slamming certain Arab governments and media outlets of enabling Tel Aviv’s genocidal campaign through their silence or alignment with Israeli interests.
Houthi also called for greater Palestinian unity in response to the crimes of the Israeli regime. “More Palestinians should come together and unite for the sake of Palestinian cause,” he urged.
Elsewhere in his speech, he criticized Israel’s repeated violations of a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which was reached last year.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/04/24/746767/Houthi-Resistance-operations-halt-Israeli-US-vessels-in-Yemen%E2%80%99s-waters
US bears primary responsibility for war on Gaza, says al-Houthi
Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi condemns the US for backing "Israel" in the war on Gaza, calling for unified Arab support for the Palestinian resistance.
Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badreddine al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, has declared that the United States plays the central role in the Israeli aggression on Gaza, citing Washington’s establishment of an air bridge to support the Israeli occupation forces.
Speaking in a televised address, al-Houthi warned that the joint American-Israeli agenda "poses a serious threat to global humanity," noting that this axis shows no regard for human life. He emphasized that "the steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza should have been met with genuine Arab solidarity and support."
Gaza war exposes Israeli failure
Sayyed Al-Houthi stated that more than a year and a half into the war, the Israeli occupation has failed to achieve its objectives in the Gaza Strip. Despite its overwhelming firepower, "Israel" has been unable to gain full control over the besieged territory.
He also pointed to what he described as a shifting global view of the Israeli occupation, saying that people across the world increasingly see "Israel" as a criminal and oppressive occupying force. This shift, he noted, is now even taking root in American and European societies, marking a significant transformation in public sentiment.
Urging governments and populations across the Arab and Muslim world to adopt a unified stance, al-Houthi called for "coordinated pressure to bring an end to the aggression against the Palestinian people." He stressed that "the Yemeni model, both at the official and grassroots levels, provides a powerful example of steadfast support for Gaza and the Palestinian cause."
Yemen’s continued military pressure
Al-Houthi also addressed Ansar Allah’s military operations, highlighting the recent Haifa operation as a "surprising blow to the enemy." He described continued attacks deep into occupied Palestinian territories as "clear proof of the failure of the US-led aggression."
He further stated that the arrival of another American aircraft carrier had done little to change the course of the war, as US forces had been unable to achieve their strategic objectives. The Yemeni Armed Forces, he asserted, "will persist in their operations to disrupt Israeli and US-linked maritime navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters."
“There is no benefit in the American aggression in limiting our capabilities or weakening our resolve,” he said, affirming that Ansar Allah’s stance remains unwavering.
US diplomatic cutbacks reflect internal crisis
In a final point, al-Houthi highlighted recent US measures to reduce the State Department’s budget and close several embassies and missions abroad. He argued that these moves reveal the extent of Washington’s internal crisis, further undermining its role on the global stage.
The Yemeni Armed Forces announced on Wednesday two military operations against vital Israeli targets in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The YAF's Missile Force carried out a top-tier military operation targeting a vital Israeli site in the occupied Haifa area using a hypersonic ballistic missile, spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said.
He confirmed that the missile successfully reached its target and that the Israeli interception systems failed to stop it, adding that the strike caused widespread fear and panic among settlers, with more than two million Israelis reportedly rushing to shelters.
US renews aggression
On Tuesday evening, US aircraft carried out four airstrikes on the al-Salem district in Saada, northern Yemen, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported, adding that US-led strikes targeted Kamaran Island in the Red Sea in western Yemen, in addition to two airstrikes on the al-Salif district.
The bombing came after the YAF announced downing an American MQ-9 drone off the coast of Hajjah province that was conducting "hostile missions" in Yemeni airspace.
Saree said the US drone was shot down with a domestically produced surface-to-air missile, noting that this marks the seventh MQ-9 drone downed in April alone, and the 22nd since the beginning of the YAF's military operations in support of Gaza.
In the same briefing, Saree mentioned that the YAF forces carried out two military operations targeting the US aircraft carriers USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson, along with their accompanying warships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
Iran rejects US demand to import enriched uranium amid indirect talks
Tehran has rejected Washington's proposal to import enriched uranium, insisting on its right to domestic enrichment as Iran-US nuclear talks continue with Omani mediation.
Tehran has rejected demands by the United States that Iran import enriched uranium from abroad rather than producing it domestically, according to the Shafaqna news agency, citing an Iranian official.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with the Free Press podcast on Wednesday that Iran should rely on imported enriched uranium for its civilian nuclear program, instead of pursuing domestic enrichment. This comment came ahead of the next round of indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.
An Iranian official familiar with the talks emphasized that maintaining a peaceful nuclear program is an inalienable right of Iran, the report noted.
Iran 'cautiously optimistic' about indirect talks with US
Regarding the talks, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that Iran maintains a cautiously optimistic outlook, stressing that this caution stems from the contradictory messages and behaviors coming out of Washington.
Speaking after his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, Araghchi explained that the bilateral discussions had seen relative progress, and a good understanding had been reached, compared to previous rounds, regarding the foundations and objectives of the talks. This, he noted, opens the door for continued discussion in the next phase.
The top Iranian diplomat emphasized that if Washington’s sole demand is that Iran not possess nuclear weapons, then this is an achievable goal, but warned that if the US demands are impractical and unreasonable, they will inevitably lead to complications and challenges.
Iran condemns US sanctions ahead of 3rd round of nuclear talks
It is worth noting that on Tuesday, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian liquefied petroleum gas magnate Seyed Asadoollah Emamjomeh and his corporate network.
It claimed in a statement that the network was "collectively responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian LPG and crude oil to foreign markets".
"Emamjomeh and his network sought to export thousands of shipments of LPG -- including from the United States -- to evade US sanctions and generate revenue for Iran," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Iran strongly condemned the sanctions, with foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei describing them as a continuation of Washington's "hostile" policies against the Iranian people.
India, Pakistan escalate tit-for-tat moves with military threats
India and Pakistan have cancelled visas for their nationals to each other’s countries, with Islamabad warning New Delhi that it is committing an "act of war" by suspending a landmark water-sharing treaty.
India said Thursday it will immediately suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan as part of measures to downgrade diplomatic ties with its neighbor after 26 tourists were killed in an attack in Kashmir.
India also said all visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be revoked with effect from Sunday, and that all Pakistanis currently in India must leave before their visas expire based on the revised timeline.
The country further announced cutting the number of diplomatic staff, closing the only functional land border crossing between the countries.
The governments on both sides have hinted that the dispute could escalate to military action.
The Indian government said the attack had “cross-border” links to Pakistan.
Pakistan has denied any connection to the attack, warning that any Indian attempt to stop or divert flow of water would be met with “full force".
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that “any kinetic step by India will see a tit-for-tat kinetic response.”
The country closed its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines, and suspended all trade with India, including to and from any third country.
Hundreds of Pakistanis joined protests across the country, including in Kashmir, to rage against Indian threats after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government called for military action.
“India will identify, track and punish every terrorist, their handlers and their backers,” Modi told a rally Thursday. “We will pursue them to the ends of the earth,” he warned.
Tensions deepened in 2019 after Modi changed Kashmir’s status from a semi-autonomous one to direct federal control, but the two countries renewed a previous ceasefire agreement along their border in 2021.
India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism - a claim Pakistan rejects.
The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, allows for sharing the waters of a river system that is a lifeline for both countries, particularly for Pakistan’s agriculture.
The agreement split the Indus and its tributaries between the two countries and regulated water sharing. India was granted the use of water from three eastern rivers - Sutlej, Beas and Ravi - while Pakistan was granted most of the three western rivers - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.
There is no provision in the treaty for either country to unilaterally suspend or terminate the pact, which has clear dispute resolution systems.
