Reuters World News Summary

The two anti-ship missiles targeted in the strikes were being prepared by Yemen's Houthis for firing into the Red Sea and deemed "an imminent threat" to shipping and U.S. Navy vessels in the region, the U.S. military said. Hezbollah rejected US overtures, still open to diplomacy to avoid wider war Iran-backed Hezbollah has rebuffed Washington's initial ideas for cooling tit-for-tat fighting with neighbouring Israel, such as pulling its fighters further from the border, but remains open to U.S. diplomacy to avoid a ruinous war, Lebanese officials said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

US says 'no way' to solve Israel security, Gaza war without Palestinian state

There is "no way" to solve Israel's long-term security challenges in the region and the short-term challenges of rebuilding Gaza without the establishment of a Palestinian state, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Thursday. Speaking at a news briefing, Miller said Israel had an opportunity right now as countries in the region were ready to provide security assurances to Israel.

Analysis-Iran-Pakistan flare-up rooted in restive borderlands, not Mideast strife

An Iranian strike on Pakistan this week that drew a rapid military riposte and raised fears of greater regional turmoil was driven by Iran's efforts to reinforce its internal security rather than its ambitions for the Middle East, according to three Iranian officials, one Iranian insider and an analyst. Both the heavily-armed neighbours, oftentimes at odds over instability on their frontier, appear to want to try to contain the strains resulting from the highest-profile cross-border intrusions in recent years, two analysts and two of the officials said.

US strikes Houthi anti-ship missiles, shipping disruptions grow

The U.S. launched new strikes against Houthi anti-ship missiles aimed at the Red Sea on Thursday, as growing tensions in the region's sea lanes disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply bottlenecks that could reignite inflation. The two anti-ship missiles targeted in the strikes were being prepared by Yemen's Houthis for firing into the Red Sea and deemed "an imminent threat" to shipping and U.S. Navy vessels in the region, the U.S. military said.

Hezbollah rejected US overtures, still open to diplomacy to avoid wider war

Iran-backed Hezbollah has rebuffed Washington's initial ideas for cooling tit-for-tat fighting with neighbouring Israel, such as pulling its fighters further from the border, but remains open to U.S. diplomacy to avoid a ruinous war, Lebanese officials said. U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein has been leading a diplomatic outreach to restore security at the Israel-Lebanon frontier as the wider region teeters dangerously towards a major escalation of the conflict ignited by the Gaza war.

US warns of Russian effort to tilt 2024 elections in Europe against Ukraine

The United States believes Russia will conduct "information operations" aimed at turning opinion in Europe against Ukraine as countries across the continent go to the polls this year, the head of the State Department's office for disinformation said on Thursday. Dozens of countries worldwide will elect new leaders in 2024, including votes in Britain, Austria and Georgia, as well as European parliament elections in June.

Pakistan fires retaliatory strike at Iran, stoking regional tension

Pakistan launched strikes on separatist militants inside Iran on Thursday, in a retaliatory attack two days after Tehran said it struck the bases of another group within Pakistani territory. Iranian media said several missiles hit a village in the Sistan-Baluchestan province that borders Pakistan, killing at least nine people, including four children.

Exclusive-Saudi Arabia still considering BRICS membership, sources say

Saudi Arabia is still considering an invitation to become a member of the BRICS bloc of countries after being asked to join by the group last year, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday. The group in August invited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, Argentina, and Ethiopia to join starting Jan. 1, although Argentina signalled it would not take up the invitation in November.

Canada police suspect India link in Alberta extortion ring

Police in Canada are investigating a series of extortions and related crimes that they believe are orchestrated by a suspect in India and involve criminals in Edmonton, Alberta, targeting the region's affluent South Asian people. In what Edmonton Police described as a new trend in Canada, victims typically receive a WhatsApp message along with a request for compensation for the victims' safety.

Port-Au-Prince residents sheltering in place as violence escalates

Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince was on lockdown on Thursday, as flaming barricades across several neighborhoods forced residents to shelter in place or return home in the latest flare-ups in chronic gang violence plaguing the Caribbean country. Streets were blocked off by burning tires and rocks, sending up huge plumes of black smoke in the sky across various parts of the city, according to Reuters eyewitnesses.

US targets more Houthi anti-ship missiles aimed at Red Sea

The United States launched additional strikes early on Thursday targeting two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were being prepared to fire into the Red Sea and deemed "an imminent threat" to shipping and U.S. Navy vessels in the region, the U.S. military said. "U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed into the Southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch," U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

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