Live updates | Israeli troops encircle Gaza’s second-largest city and blast kills 21 soldiers

The Israeli military said Tuesday that its forces have encircled the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, the second-largest urban area in the tiny Palestinian territory.

Elsewhere in Gaza, Palestinian militants killed 21 Israeli soldiers on Monday in the deadliest single attack of the ground war against Hamas. At least 217 soldiers have died since the offensive began in late October, including three killed in a separate event Monday, according to the military.

The combat casualties could add to mounting calls in Israel for a cease-fire.

Khan Younis has seen heavy fighting in recent days. U.N. humanitarian officials said the Palestinian Red Crescent, a medical aid group, reported dozens of people killed — including displaced women and children — and Israeli forces reportedly struck the vicinity of Al-Amal Hospital and the Red Crescent’s ambulance headquarters for the area.

The Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel in which militants from the enclave killed around 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages.

Not PARSE.LY: Israel government

Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says

 

Israeli strike on a Gaza tent camp kills at least 21 people, Palestinian hospital official says

 

An Israeli strike kills a person in Lebanon, further shaking the tenuous ceasefire

 

Currently:

— Rifts within Israel resurface as war in Gaza drags on. Some want elections now.

— Twenty-one Israeli soldiers are killed in the deadliest single attack on the army since the war began.

— U.N. chief warns that Israel’s rejection of a two-state solution threatens global peace

— Death on the Arabian Sea: How a Navy SEAL fell into rough waters and another died trying to save him

— Families of Israeli hostages storm Knesset, demanding a deal to free the captives in Gaza.

— Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

Here’s the latest:

US BOMBS 3 SITES IN IRAQ AFTER IRAN-BACKED MILITIAS ATTACKED AMERICAN FORCES

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military struck three facilities in Iraq on Tuesday, targeting an Iranian-backed militia in retaliation for missile and drone attacks on American troops in Iraq and Syria over the past several days, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

The U.S. strikes hit militia facilities in western Iraq, near the Syrian border, U.S. Central Command said.

“At President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq,” Austin said in a statement. “These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against U.S. and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias.”

The strikes came hours after the U.S. said militants fired two one-way attack drones at the al-Asad Air Base, injuring U.S. service members and damaging infrastructure. And they follow the militia’s most serious attack this year on the air base, when they launched multiple ballistic missiles on Saturday at the western Iraq facility used by U.S. troops.

U.S. Central Command said the attack targeted headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack drone capabilities of the group.

BLINKEN HINTS AT ‘TRANSITIONAL AGREEMENTS’ FOR GAZA AFTER WAR

ABUJA, Nigeria — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has suggested the need for “transitional arrangements” to prevent the reoccurrence of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, before permanent plans could be made about the Gaza Strip’s post-war governance.

While repeating Washington’s opposition to any territorial change in Gaza, Blinken said it is “totally appropriate” for plans to also be made for Israelis displaced in the ongoing war to return home.

“We’ve been very clear about maintaining the territorial integrity of Gaza and a number of other critical principles, including Palestinian governance,” Blinken told reporters in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

The issue of Gaza’s future has set Israel in opposition to the United States and its Arab allies who are trying to mediate a possible pathway to Palestinian statehood once the fighting ends.

BIDEN NEEDS U.S. CONGRESS TO APPROVE FURTHER MILITARY ACTION IN YEMEN, TWO DEMOCRATIC SENATORS SAY

WASHINGTON — Two of President Joe Biden’s Democratic allies in the Senate say he needs to seek congressional approval before settling further into an open-ended U.S. military campaign against Yemen’s Houthis.

Sens. Tim Kaine and Chris Murphy, both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Republican Sens. Todd Young and Mike Lee in writing Biden on Tuesday to say Biden may have exceeded his constitutional authority with repeated U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Biden administration is trying to stop rocket, missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militant group on commercial vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping routes. The Houthi strikes are part of escalation by Iran-allied militant groups around the Middle East since Israel launched its war against Hamas in Gaza.

“American participation in another war in the Middle East cannot happen in the absence of authorization by Congress, following an open debate during which the American public can be informed of the benefits, risks, and consequences of such conflict,” the senators wrote.

The Biden administration says its military strikes against Houthis this month are protecting U.S. Navy vessels and commercial ships in general, and amount to U.S. self-defense.

In their letter, the senators noted the administration’s acknowledgment that its strikes were failing to stop the Houthi assault on shipping.

WHITE HOUSE ENVOY IS IN EGYPT TO DISCUSS A POTENTIAL TRUCE DEAL FOR GAZA

CAIRO — The White House says its Middle East envoy is in Cairo to consult with Egyptian leaders in hopes of reaching a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas.

The envoy, Brett McGurk, will also visit other countries in the region, the White House said.

“One of the things he’s in the region talking about is the potential for another hostage deal which would require a humanitarian pause of some length,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in Washington D.C. “He’ll also be talking about a range of other issues, including humanitarian assistance.”

McGurk’s trip comes as cease-fire negotiations appear to be gathering speed.

A senior Egyptian official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Israel has proposed a two-month cease-fire in which the scores of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza would be freed in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries. Hamas released over 100 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners during a weeklong cease-fire in November.

McGurk’s trip follows two back-to-back Middle East tours made by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Egyptian authorities have not commented on McGurk’s arrival.

Cairo has acted as a key peace broker between Israel and Hamas during previous conflicts, and is one of few countries in the Middle East to maintain ties with both the warring sides.

FIGHTING IN KHAN YOUNIS IS BLOCKING MEDICAL TEAMS FROM REACHING WOUNDED, U.N. SAYS

UNITED NATIONS — The Palestinian Red Crescent aid group says their ambulance headquarters in the Gaza city of Khan Younis has been surrounded by Israeli forces, restricting ambulances from providing support amid heavy fighting in the area, the U.N. said Tuesday.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said U.N. humanitarian officials report that, “Dozens of people were reportedly killed, including displaced women and children, and several homes and other buildings were also destroyed,” according to the Red Crescent.

“Israeli forces reportedly struck the vicinity of Al-Amal Hospital and the ambulance headquarters,” Dujarric said. “As intense fighting continued in the area, patients and displaced people sheltering there could not leave.”

Israel announced that it has surrounded Khan Younis and Dujarric said the U.N. humanitarian office reports that “civilians were severely impacted by escalating hostilities in the area on Monday.

Despite major obstacles to getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and “the acute famine risk,” Dujarric said that between Jan. 15-21 the U.N. and its partners reached about 1.2 million people “with at least one form of food assistance.”

More than half the food was distributed in Rafah and 21% in Khan Younis in the south, over 25% in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, and 14% in the north, he said.

On the health front, Dujarric said, the World Health Organization reported that attacks on health facilities continue to rise with more than 300 attacks verified in Gaza and more than 330 in the West Bank since Hamas’ surprise attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

He said the U.N. and its partners were able to visit Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in the north on Monday “after five days of denied and aborted missions” and delivered badly needed fuel. He said food, water and medical equipment are scarce at the facility where thousands of people have sought refuge.

Meanwhile, Sigrid Kaag, the U.N.’s senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza visited Rafah on Tuesday and met with civilians and representatives of U.N. agencies and NGOs, Dujarric said.

YEMEN’S HOUTHI REBELS MOVE TO EXPEL AID WORKERS WHO ARE U.S. AND U.K. NATIONALS

CAIRO — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have told U.S. and British nationals working with the United Nations and other aid groups that they must leave rebel-controlled areas of the impoverished country within 30 days, three aid workers said Tuesday.

The order comes after the U.S. military has bombed Houthi targets on an almost-daily basis over the past week, with British forces taking part on two occasions.

The Iranian-backed Islamist group presented its order the U.N. earlier this week through the Houthi-run Foreign Ministry, said the aid workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity over concerns for their personal safety.

When asked about the move, Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office, said that they had received a letter from the Houthi leadership confirming the order. She said the U.N. had no further comment at this time.

Washington and London say the strikes in Yemen are in retaliation for the Houthis’ ongoing attacks on commercial shipping, which the rebels say aim to end the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

One of the aid workers said the U.N. is negotiating with the Houthis to withdraw their decision.

At the same time, the U.N. and other agencies were working to get American and British workers out of the country, or relocate them in areas under the control of the internationally recognized government, he said.

Years of civil war have caused a humanitarian crisis in Yemen, leaving much of the population dependent on international aid to survive. The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, several northern provinces as well as much of the western highlands where the majority of Yemen’s population lives.

U.K. Foreign Office Minister Tariq Ahmad said, “The U.N. does a incredible job on the ground, and it’s done that in Yemen.”

Ahmad, who was attending a U.N. Security Council meeting on Gaza, said his message to the Houthis is simple: “Let people who often put their own lives at risk get on with the job to help alleviate suffering around the world, if it’s in Yemen or elsewhere.”

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER URGES MIDEAST COUNTRIES TO CUT OFF ISRAEL’S ‘LIFELINE’

TEHRAN, Iran — The supreme leader of Iran urged other Muslim governments to pressure Israel by severing economic and political ties, instead of making statements in support of a cease-fire in Gaza.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged countries in the region “to cut off the lifeline” of Israel, without elaborating, the state-run IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.

In recent months, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, which are allied with Iran, have attacked ships in the region’s waterways that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports.

“Sometimes the positions and statements of the officials of the Islamic countries are wrong, because they talk about an issue such as the cease-fire in Gaza, which is beyond their control,” Khamenei said at a public meeting, adding that Mideast nations should refrain from supporting Israel.

Before the war, the U.S. had been trying to broker a landmark normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

In a separate development, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in New York on the sidelines of a United Nations Security Council meeting about the Palestinians.

Referring to Russia’s position and role as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, Amirabdollahian demanded Russia play a more active role to stop Israel’s war in Gaza.

UK PRIME MINISTER LAYS OUT REASONS FOR BOMBING YEMEN A SECOND TIME

LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Parliament on Tuesday that the U.K. took part in a second wave of strikes against the Yemen’s Houthi rebels because of an “ongoing and imminent threat” from the group, and will not hesitate to take further action.

“I want to be very clear. We are not seeking a confrontation. We urge the Houthis and those who enable them to stop these illegal and unacceptable attacks,” Sunak said. “But, if necessary, the United Kingdom will not hesitate to respond again in self-defense. We cannot stand by and allow these attacks to go unchallenged. Inaction is also a choice.”

Sunak added that British Foreign Secretary David Cameron will be in the region near the Red Sea “in the coming days” as part of efforts to increase diplomatic engagement.

The U.S. and British militaries bombed multiple targets in eight locations used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Monday night, targeting what officials said were an array of the rebels’ missile-launching capabilities. It’s the eighth time the U.S. has bombed Houthi sites since Jan. 12.

The Houthis have attacked shipping in the region’s waterways, saying they aim to end Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip.

HEZBOLLAH LAUNCHES MISSILES AT ISRAELI AIR BASE

BEIRUT — The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah launched missiles at a significant Israeli air base on Mount Meron for the second time in a month.

The group said in a statement that Tuesday’s barrage was in response to “recent assassinations in Lebanon and Syria, and the repeated attacks on civilians and homes” in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military said some of the launches were intercepted by air defenses and others landed, causing “minor damage” to infrastructure at the base but no injuries.

Hezbollah previously struck the air base in retaliation for a presumed Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Jan. 2 that killed senior Hamas official Saleh Arouri.

After more than three months of near-daily clashes between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces on the Lebanon-Israel border, Israel in recent weeks appears to have moved to a strategy of targeted killings of figures from Hezbollah and allied groups in Lebanon and Syria.

In some cases, civilians have been killed along with the apparent intended targets. An Israeli airstrike hit two vehicles near a Lebanese army checkpoint in south Lebanon on Sunday, killing a Hezbollah member in one car and a civilian woman in the other.

ISRAEL SAYS IT HAS ENCIRCLED KHAN YOUNIS CITY

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says its forces have encircled the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.

The territory’s second-largest city has seen heavy fighting in recent days, with dozens of Palestinians killed and wounded.

Israeli officials have said top Hamas leaders may be hiding in tunnels in the city.

The military said its forces have killed dozens of militants in Khan Younis in recent days and has encircled the city. It did not provide evidence, and it was not possible to independently confirm details about the fighting there.

Khan Younis is the hometown of Yehya Sinwar, Hamas’ top leader in Gaza, whose whereabouts are unknown. The military announced the encirclement in a statement on Tuesday.

NETANYAHU MOURNS LOSS OF 21 SOLDIERS

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mourned the loss of 21 soldiers in the deadliest single attack in Gaza and says the army will fight on until “absolute victory.”

In a posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, Netanyahu said Monday was “one of the hardest days since the outbreak of the war.”

He said the army will launch an investigation into the attack, in which a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank, setting off a secondary explosion that brought two buildings down on the soldiers.

It was the deadliest single attack on Israeli forces in Gaza since the ground operation began.

In the posting on Tuesday, Netanyahu wrote: “In the name of our heroes, and for our own lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory.”

OFFICIAL SAYS ISRAEL HAS PROPOSED A 2-MONTH CEASE-FIRE

CAIRO — A senior Egyptian official says Israel has proposed a two-month cease-fire in which Hamas would release Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Under the proposal, Yehya Sinwar and other top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries.

The official, who was not authorized to brief media and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said Hamas has rejected the proposal. The militant group is insisting on a permanent cease-fire before any further release of hostages. Israel’s leaders have thus far ruled that out.

The official said Hamas leaders have also refused to leave Gaza and are demanding that Israel fully withdraw from the territory and allow Palestinians to return to their homes.

The official said Egypt and Qatar, which have brokered past agreements between Israel and Hamas, are developing a multi-stage proposal to try to bridge the gaps. The proposal would include ending the war, releasing the hostages and putting forth a vision for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli media have also reported on the diplomatic efforts, describing the same general outline of a potential agreement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on any possible talks, citing potential risks to the hostages. Qatari officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposal.

White House senior adviser Brett McGurk is in the region this week to meet with Egyptian and Qatari officials to discuss hostage negotiations. The White House has also declined comment.

In Washington, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that a temporary pause in fighting was critical to winning the release of more hostages.

“You can’t enact safe passage for hostages out of a danger zone if people are shooting at each other,” Kirby said. “We don’t support a general cease-fire, which is usually put in place in the expectation that you’re going to end a conflict.”

21 ISRAELI SOLDIERS KILLED IN GAZA

JERUSALEM — Israel’s army says a total of 21 soldiers were killed in an attack in central Gaza, making it the largest single loss of life for the military since the war began.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson, made the announcement Tuesday, updating an earlier toll. He said the soldiers were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings on Monday when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby, setting off the explosion prematurely. The buildings collapsed on the soldiers.

The heavy death toll could add new momentum to calls for Israel to pause the offensive or even halt it altogether. Large numbers of Israeli casualties have put pressure on Israel’s government to halt past military operations.

EGYPT WARNS ISRAEL NOT TO SEIZE CONTROL OF LAND THAT SEPARATES THEM

CAIRO — Egypt has warned Israel that any attempt to seize security control of the strip of land that separates Gaza and Egypt will result in a “serious threat” to relations between the neighboring countries.

The Philadelphi corridor is a 14-kilometer (nine-mile) -long slither of land that separates Egypt from Gaza.

“It must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations,” Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service, said in an online statement Monday.

Israeli leaders have talked about taking control of the corridor to prevent possible weapons smuggling into Gaza.

Egypt fears that a military operation on the border could push large numbers of Palestinians into its territory.

Rashwan said Gaza’s western border was secure and that Israeli claims that weapons were being smuggled from Egypt into Gaza were false. The war has greatly tested relations between Israel and Egypt.

Troop deployments on either side of the Egypt-Gaza border are regulated in bilateral agreements between Israel and Egypt.

The two countries have maintained diplomatic ties since 1980, with Egypt having brokered a number of cease-fire deals during recent conflicts in Gaza.

Throughout the current war, Egypt has accused Israel of plotting to nullify Palestinian demands for statehood by driving Palestinians from Gaza into Egypt. Israel denies this is part of its plan.

NEW ZEALAND WILL SEND A TEAM TO ASSIST IN THE RED SEA

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand announced Tuesday it was sending a six-member team to join an international maritime security coalition in the Red Sea.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the country’s defense personnel will contribute to protecting ships in the Middle East from operational headquarters in the region and elsewhere.

“Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilizing,” Luxon said in a written statement Tuesday.

The deployment is mandated to conclude no later than July 31.