A militia backed by Iran struck a commercial vessel in the Red Sea on Tuesday, U.S. officials said, reviving concerns that the war in the Gaza Strip could balloon into a larger conflict along multiple fronts.
The Strinda, a Norwegian tanker, was hit by a cruise missile launched from a part of Yemen controlled by the Houthis, the U.S. military said. No one was injured, but it appeared to be one of the first successful strikes on a ship after weeks of threats by the Houthis, who have promised to hit vessels and shut down the waterway, which is crucial to global shipping.
Militias supported by Iran have targeted Israel and warned of broader attacks unless it stops its assault in Gaza, which has killed at least 15,000 people. Since the conflict began on Oct. 7, when Hamas, which controls Gaza, killed at least 1,200 people in Israel, diplomats from the United States, Qatar and other Middle East countries have worked to limit the fallout from the war, increase humanitarian aid to Gazans and negotiate pauses in the fighting.
A weeklong truce, during which hostages held by Hamas were exchanged for Palestinians detained by Israel, ended on Dec. 1, dampening hopes for a longer cease-fire. The resumption of fighting renewed fears that militias tied to Iran — including Hezbollah and the Houthis — would step up their attacks on Israel.
So far, most missiles and drones fired by the Houthis have been intercepted by U.S. naval forces stationed in the area or have fallen off course. And Hezbollah and the Israeli military have engaged in cross-border shelling and missile strikes, with limited casualties.
Israeli forces are now fighting street by street in three areas of Gaza that Israel calls Hamas strongholds, hoping to arrest or kill the masterminds of the Oct. 7 attacks, including Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be hiding in Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza. The chief of staff of Israel’s army, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, spoke to commanders in Khan Younis on Monday, a day after visiting troops in the north who are fighting Hezbollah, the militia in Lebanon backed by Iran.
On Monday evening, Israel said it had arrested at least 140 suspected members of Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza since the cease-fire ended on Dec. 1. That brought the total number of people detained in the past month to about 500, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said.
The latest fighting came as the United Nations and aid agencies warned that the collapse of Gaza’s health system could lead to epidemics in the shrinking pockets of the territory where civilians have sought refuge from Israeli airstrikes. More than 1.75 million Gazans have been displaced since the start of the war, out of a population of just 2.2 million.
Yan Zhuang, Livia Albeck-Ripka and Eric Schmitt contributed reporting.