A series of developments across the Middle East on Thursday underscored the region’s multiple and interconnected flashpoints, with an Israeli strike in northern Gaza killing four people, including two children, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels taking control of the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha.

Elsewhere, the UN Security Council saw renewed divisions over Iran’s nuclear programme, Algeria announced a break in diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon accused Israel of repeated violations of its sovereignty, and Israel warned Tehran of a powerful response targeting its energy infrastructure if it came under attack.

Gaza Strike Kills Couple And Two Children

In northern Gaza, hospital officials said an Israeli strike hit a home in Beit Lahiya, killing a husband and wife and their two daughters, aged eight and 12.

Shifa Hospital confirmed that the two children were among the four people killed in the strike, which occurred at around 2 am, according to a neighbour.

“There is nothing that can justify Israel attacking this home,” Zuheir al-Heisami, a neighbour of the family, said at the hospital.

“These were two children and their parents that were killed while they were asleep,” he said.

The Israeli military said the strike had “eliminated” a militant who had participated in attacks against its forces, but did not provide further details about the individual.

Israel has previously said it carries out such strikes in response to threats against its forces under the fragile ceasefire that has been in place since October.

Houthis Take Control Of Strategic Port City

In Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group took control of the Red Sea port city of Mokha, according to Houthi and Yemeni officials.

Mokha is located about 80 kilometres from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the strategic waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Around 12 per cent of the world’s oil and other goods pass through the waterway, making developments along Yemen’s Red Sea coast significant for international shipping and energy supplies.

The route has gained greater strategic importance after shipping through the nearby Strait of Hormuz was disrupted following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran in February.

The takeover of Mokha was confirmed to The Associated Press by Ahmed Baash, a commander with the National Resistance Forces aligned with Yemen’s government, and Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau.

UN Security Council Divided Over Iran’s Nuclear Programme

At the United Nations, divisions resurfaced over Iran’s nuclear programme nearly a year after sanctions were reimposed on Tehran.

A majority of the 15-member Security Council called on Iran to implement stricter measures and allow inspectors access to all of its facilities.

The meeting followed a decision by the board of the UN nuclear agency to report Iran to the Security Council for the first time in two decades.

The move cited Iran’s failure to cooperate with a long-running investigation into traces of uranium detected by inspectors at undeclared sites.

British UN Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh said the International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest report needed to be addressed with “utmost urgency”.

Russia and China opposed the reimposition of sanctions, describing the action as illegal.

Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the nuclear watchdog’s report “politicized”.

Iran has maintained that it is not seeking nuclear weapons and that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.

Algeria Cuts Diplomatic Ties With UAE

Algeria announced that it was severing diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.

A statement from Algeria’s Foreign Ministry, read on state television, did not identify a specific incident but referred to what it described as “provocative and hostile actions” and “regrettable and unjustified behavior” by the Gulf state.

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry expressed hope that Algeria’s decision would be temporary and said it hoped the countries’ “fraternal ties” would ultimately be preserved.

Lebanon Accuses Israel Of Sovereignty Violations

Lebanon’s mission to the United Nations accused Israel of carrying out nearly 2,000 land, air and sea violations of Lebanese sovereignty during July.

The allegations were contained in a letter published on the UN website, although the letter did not provide details of the individual incidents.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel currently occupies a large area of southern Lebanon that it seized during a ground invasion after Hezbollah militants began firing rockets across the border in March.

Lebanon and Israel reached an agreement in June under which Israel was expected to withdraw from occupied areas in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Implementation of the agreement has largely stalled, with Israel continuing airstrikes while accusing Hezbollah of attacking its forces.

Israel Warns Iran Of Strikes On Energy Facilities

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Tehran of a “powerful response” if Iran attacks Israel.

He said any such response would “inflict severe damage on Iran of a kind it has not yet suffered, including on its central energy facilities”.

Katz made the remarks in a video statement after Iran launched missiles at US targets in Jordan earlier this week in response to US strikes on Iranian oil tankers.

The developments across Gaza, Yemen, Iran, Lebanon and North Africa highlighted the scale of the tensions confronting the Middle East, with military conflict, strategic maritime routes, nuclear diplomacy and diplomatic disputes continuing to overlap across the region.

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