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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/us-iran-tensions-rise-us-warship-arrives-israel
An EA-18G Growler launching from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on January 23, 2026. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman/U.S. Navy via APTHE MIDDLE East remained on the knife edge of another horrific war today as a US warship docked off the coast of Israel in the morning, one of an “armada” Washington has deployed to threaten Iran.
Iranian officials said there were no planned meetings with US officials.
Israeli media reported today that the USS Delbert D Black, one of the US Navy’s most advanced destroyers, had docked in the southern port of Eilat.
The Israeli military told reporters that the ship’s arrival was “routine and pre-planned” and part of an ongoing co-operation with the US.
Earlier this week, one of the US’s 11 aircraft carriers, the USS Abraham Lincoln, was redirected from the South China Sea and entered Middle Eastern waters, according to news reports.
The USS Delbert D Black’s arrival to the region comes after US President Donald Trump warned Iran that a “massive armada” was heading its way.
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Continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/us-iran-tensions-rise-us-warship-arrives-israel
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/31/israeli-strikes-gaza-kill-at-least-12-reports
Israel has carried out some of its deadliest airstrikes on Gaza in months, killing at least 30 Palestinians, some of whom were sheltering in tent cities for displaced people.
Despite a nominal ceasefire, the Israeli military struck a police station in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood west of Gaza City on Saturday, killing 10 officers and detainees, the civil defence said. It indicated the death toll could rise as emergency responders searched for bodies.
Another strike hit an apartment in Gaza City, killing three children and two women, while seven more people were killed when Israel bombed tents in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
“We found my three little nieces in the street. They say ‘ceasefire’ and all. What did those children do? What did we do?” Samer al-Atbash, an uncle of the three children killed in Gaza City, told Reuters.
The Israeli military said the attacks were carried out in response to an incident on Friday when eight armed men came out of a tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza. The area is still under Israeli military control under the terms of the October ceasefire.
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continues at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/31/israeli-strikes-gaza-kill-at-least-12-reports
At least 37 Palestinians killed, others injured in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza despite ceasefire
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The International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday called on states to urgently act on the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, warning that civilians continue to face severe hardship despite recent progress under the ceasefire, Anadolu reports.
“States must harness the momentum generated by the first phase of the agreement between Israel and Hamas to urgently improve the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement.
Over the past 15 weeks, the ICRC helped implement the first phase of the agreement by facilitating the return of hostages, detainees, and remains.
“The international community must now seize every opportunity to scale up efforts that alleviate suffering in Gaza,” Spoljaric urged. “This includes easing restrictions on so-called dual-use material and equipment such as water pipes and generators, which are essential for restoring the essential infrastructure people rely on.”
According to the ICRC, many residents remain displaced and without basic services, living among rubble during winter conditions. Hospitals, schools, homes, and water systems require urgent repair, while thousands of families are still awaiting information about missing relatives.
“All states and parties to conflict have a responsibility to ensure the boundaries and protections enshrined in international humanitarian law are upheld,” Spoljaric said, calling it essential for saving lives, restoring human dignity and lasting peace.
READ: Israel to reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing after 2 years of closure
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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia are visiting the US this week to discuss Iran amid a US military buildup in the region, Axios reported Thursday, citing sources.
Gen. Shlomi Binder, the head of Israel’s military intelligence, conducted a series of high-level consultations on Tuesday and Wednesday with top leadership at the Pentagon, the CIA, and the White House, according to two American officials.
The general’s visit was said to be centered on delivering specific intelligence requested by the Trump administration, including data on potential strike targets within Iran.
In contrast, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman is expected to emphasize diplomatic avenues during his Thursday and Friday meetings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff and Defense Department officials.
Saudi Arabia, who have been passing messages between Washington and Tehran, said earlier it would not allow the US to use its airspace in any attack.
READ: Bin Salman: Saudi Arabia will not allow its territory to be used to strike Tehran
The diplomatic friction occurs as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group arrives to finalize a naval “armada” that President Donald Trump recently claimed is “bigger than” the force previously deployed toward Venezuela.
“The directive at the moment is to prepare,” a US official noted, suggesting that the president is rapidly approaching a final decision regarding military action.
Neither sides has provided a public information regarding the ongoing meetings reported by the news outlet.
Trump has called on Iran to make a deal on its nuclear program before it is too late, warning that this time the attack would be “far worse.” The US had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025 during Tehran’s 12-day war with Israel.
Iran says its civil nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the West argues it is developing a nuclear weapon. The US has also expressed concerns over Iran’s ballistic missile program.
The developments come amid recent unrest and protests in Iran over worsening economic conditions due to a sharp depreciation in the local currency.
READ: US sends Israel secret message outlines timing of possible attack on Iran
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