Key events
The move in Gaza comes after the US said it was adding an extra aircraft carrier to its Middle East deployment.
The Carl Vinson will join the Harry S. Truman in the Middle East “to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on Tuesday.
US forces have struck Yemen’s Houthi rebels with near-daily air strikes in a campaign aimed at ending the threat they pose to civilian shipping and military vessels in the region.
“To complement the CENTCOM maritime posture, the secretary also ordered the deployment of additional squadrons and other air assets that will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities,” Parnell said, referring to the US military command responsible for the region.
The Huthis began targeting shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the start of the Gaza war in 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians.
Opening summary
Welcome to live coverage of the Israel-Gaza war and the Middle East crisis.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has announced an expansion of the military operation in Gaza.
He said on Wednesday morning that large areas of the territory would be seized and added to the security zones of Israel.
He said in a statement there would be a large-scale evacuation of the population from fighting areas and called on Palestinians there to eliminate Hamas and return Israeli hostages, saying this was the only way to end the war.
We will bring you more details as soon as we can.