Israel-Hamas war: What happened on day 79?

The IDF on Sunday night disclosed the full background behind its finding of five bodies of hostages held by Hamas in an underground strategic-size tunnel near Jabalya in northern Gaza.

Around December 12, the IDF found two bodies, and around three days later, it found three more bodies in another area nearby. At the time, it only announced the finding of the first two bodies.

The IDF struck Hezbollah in Lebanon after the northern Israeli community of Menara was targeted by more rocket fire on Saturday.

Earlier, Israel identified a number of rocket launches directed at its northern territory coming from Lebanon, the IDF stated on Saturday evening.

In response to the launches, the IDF targeted the sources of fire.

The Israeli military added that also, throughout Saturday, IDF artillery had targeted various areas inside Lebanese territory.

Additionally, Israeli fighter jets struck a Hezbollah military command center.

The IDF also reported that an Israeli soldier sustained moderate wounds from rocket shrapnel after additional launches from Lebanon hit the area of Menara, an Israeli community adjacent to the border with Lebanon.

An IDF artillery unit fires towards Lebanon near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, November 2, 2023. (credit: David Cohen/Flash90)

The IDF stated that the soldier was subsequently evacuated to a hospital to receive medical attention. The soldier’s family has been notified of the incident.

Extensive damage to northern Israeli community

Kibbutz Menara subsequently put out a statement on attacks directed at the community.

“The harsh reality is that from the beginning of the war, dozens of missiles were fired towards the kibbutz, most of them anti-tank missiles. As a result, at least 86 out of 155 apartments were affected with various degrees of damage,” the Kibbutz’s statement claimed. “Some suffered total destruction, while others incurred secondary damage.”

The community reported that rockets that made direct hits caused houses to collapse and burn. Buildings that suffered secondary damage had shattered windows and blinds, collapsed walls, and cracks in their foundations, among other damage.

The reported attacks on northern Israel came in the wake of news on Friday that Sgt. Amit Hod Ziv, 19, from Rosh Ha’ayin, of the 71st Battalion, was killed by Hezbollah rocket fire.

War Minister Benny Gantz, while touring the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, warned Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that the current war “is one of the most important that the State of Israel has experienced; it serves both the residents of the South and radiates to other arenas.”

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.

The Iran-backed Houthi militia launched missiles and drones toward a US naval vessel and two commercial vessels in the southern Red Sea, hours after an Iranian drone attack targeted an Israeli-linked chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced early Sunday morning.

Throughout the day, the Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea, according to CENTCOM.

On December 23 two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. No ships reported being impacted by the ballistic missiles.

Between 3 and 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), the USS LABOON (DDG… pic.twitter.com/jcBisbXBaS

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 24, 2023

Additionally, the USS Laboon shot down four drones the Houthis launched towards it as it was patrolling the southern Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian.

Later in the day, the M/V Blaamanen, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker, reported that a Houthi drone detonated near it and the M/V Saibaba, a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, reported that it was hit by a one-way attack drone. No injuries were reported in either incident. The USS Laboon responded to distress calls from the two vessels.

"These attacks represent the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since Oct. 17," said CENTCOM.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) pulls alongside the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during a refueling-at-sea. February 9, 2010 (credit: US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Barker/Released)

The attacks are the latest affecting maritime traffic in the region as threats by the Iran-backed Houthis and by Iranian officials escalate.

Israeli-linked tanker hit by drone launched from Iran

On Saturday morning, the MV Chem Pluto, a tanker partially managed by an Israeli-owned company, was hit by a drone in the Arabian Sea, about 200 nautical miles south west of Veraval, India. No injuries were reported in the attack.

While the attack took place over 1,600 km away from Yemen, it was only 1,000 km from the coast of Iran, with a Pentagon spokesperson stating that the drone was launched from Iran.

"No US Navy vessels were in the vicinity. US Naval Forces Central Command remains in communication with the vessel as it continues toward a destination in India," said the spokesperson. "This is the seventh Iranian attack on commercial shipping since 2021.”

Shortly after the attack in the Arabian Sea, an Indian Navy surveillance aircraft established communication with the vessel, according to The Hindu. An Indian Navy warship also headed towards the vessel.

"The vessel has started making way towards Mumbai post undertaking damage assessment and repairs on its power generation systems. The vessel is likely to enter Mumbai and sought escort assistance due to steering issues. ICGS Vikram will be escorting the ship during its passage," Commandant Niranjan Pratap Singh, PRO Indian Coast Guard, told The Hindu.