Yemen’s defense minister has denounced the formation of a US-led maritime task force in the Red Sea to protect the passage of merchant vessels bound for the Israeli-occupied territories, cautioning the Western alliance that any assault on Yemeni soil will have dire consequences. | The Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7. The relentless Israeli strikes against Gaza have killed at least 19,453 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza. Another 52,286 individuals have been wounded as well. ● Reports revealed that Israeli shipping companies have already decided to reroute their vessels in fear of attacks by Yemeni forces.

■ If US attacks Yemen, its battleships will be struck: Sayyed al-Houthi (Al Mayadeen) | The leader of Ansar Allah movement slams the US action in the Red Sea as "illegal" and describes it as "a reckless and foolish aggression that only serves Israel." Ansar Allah leader, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, reassured European companies, saying, “European vessels that do not have Israeli ports as their final destination are not at risk.”

■ U.S. defence secretary makes unannounced visit to USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier defending Israel (CTV News)
■ Netanyahu tells Biden Israel will act militarily against Yemen's Houthis if US won't: report (Fox News)
■ Malaysia Blocks Israeli Shipping Firm over Gaza Atrocities (Tasnim News Agency)
■ Who Are Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Attacking Israeli Ships? (Declassified)
■ Red Sea’s Gateway of Tears… As Usual, Uncle Sam’s Euro Vassals Pay the Price (Finian Cunningham)

Hopes rose Wednesday that Israel and Hamas may be inching toward another truce and hostage release deal in the Gaza war, following secret talks and as the head of the Palestinian militant group visited Egypt. | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Tuesday told relatives of some of the remaining 129 captives held in Gaza since the October 7 attacks that his spy chief was working on efforts to "free our hostages". 💬 "I have just sent the head of Mossad to Europe twice to promote a process to free our hostages," the premier told them. "I will spare no effort on the subject, and our duty is to bring them all back." Mossad director David Barnea held a "positive meeting" in Warsaw this week with CIA chief Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a source familiar with the talks told AFP, asking not to be named. Talks were ongoing "with the aim of reaching an agreement around the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza in exchange for a truce and the potential release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons," said the source. ● The Qatar-based chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, on Wednesday travelled to Egypt, traditionally a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, for talks with intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. A source close to Hamas, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the talks would focus on stopping the war and "to prepare an agreement for the release of prisoners (and) the end of the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip".

■ UN weighs new ceasefire call for Gaza, Houthis say will not stop attacking Israel-bound ships (The New Arab)
■ Hamas's Haniyeh in Egypt to discuss potential Gaza truce and hostage release deal (The New Arab)

A Geneva-based rights group has found that 71 percent of people in the Gaza Strip suffer from extreme hunger due to Israel’s devastating war on the Palestinian territory and the regime's method of using starvation as a weapon. | The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor released the figure on Tuesday after it conducted an analytical study of a sample of 1,200 people in Gaza. ● Some 98 percent of participants at the study said they eat insufficient amounts of food and 64 percent admitted to eating grass, fruits, immature food, and expired materials to satiate their hunger. ● The study was published at a time, when Israel has come under fierce criticism for using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in violation of international law.

■ Israel bulldozes, 'buries alive' dozens at Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital (The New Arab)
■ 40 Killed in “Israeli” Strikes on Rafah, Jabalia As Gaza Death Toll Nears 20k (Alahed News)
■ Israeli forces execute 15 Palestinians in Gaza City home: Sources (Al Mayadeen)
■ Bodies of 17 Palestinian detainees held by IOF: PPS (Al Mayadeen)