The Middle East is experiencing a moment of maximum tension. The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the reactions of the West began to raise the temperature in the region, which has only increased in recent hours. For example, Germany has asked its citizens to leave Lebanon, and both Hamas and Hezbollah promised severe consequences for the death of Saleh Arouri.
As the war between Hamas and Israel continues, its collateral effects continue to affect the region, first due to the escalation of violence in the Red Sea, and also because of the bombing in Beirut that ended the life of the Hamas' number two, which quickly provoked threats of destruction.
As for the Houthis, they are a Shiite group in Yemen allegedly backed by Iran. The group has recently been perpetrating attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, behavior that led to United States to shoot down Houthi ships and the United Kingdom to hold Iran directly responsible for the group's actions.
The latest news in this regard came on Wednesday, when the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Canada, Bahrain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom signed a joint letter to warn the Houthis to cease their hostilities or assume the "consequences" of their actions.
BREAKING: The United States, Britain and 10 other allies issue a final warning to the Houthis in Yemen to cease its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea or bear the “consequences.” pic.twitter.com/mEmLNtfpU7
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) January 3, 2024
Threats from Iran and Hezbollah toward the West
Saleh Arouri, Hamas' number two, was killed in a reportedly Israeli drone bombing in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, which quickly unleashed the reaction of the Islamist organization. The group's leader, Hasan Nasrallah, assured that Israel will face "a response and a punishment" for the attack.
Added to his threats were those of Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, who posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"The enemies should know that, with God's permission, perpetrators of this tragedy will be met with a strong response," he wrote,
The enemies should know that, with God's permission, perpetrators of this tragedy will be met with a strong response.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 3, 2024
Germany asks its citizens to leave Lebanon
Faced with the increasingly latent possibility of escalating violence between Israel and Lebanon, the German government has asked its citizens to leave the country "by the fastest route."
This was decided after a crisis cabinet meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the German Foreign Ministry. According to the guidelines from German authorities, citizens who are in Lebanon must register on the consular emergency list and leave the country as quickly as possible.
BREAKING: Germany calls on its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately.
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) January 3, 2024
