Dubai, Mar 29 (AP) Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Israel as the war in the Middle East marks its one-month anniversary.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, issued a statement on Saturday on the rebel group's Al-Masirah satellite television network.
He said the Houthis fired a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting what he described as “sensitive Israeli military sites” in southern Israel.
Israel's military had earlier said it had intercepted a missile.
The attack came after Saree signaled in a vague statement Friday that the rebels would join the war.
It is the first time Israel has faced fire from Yemen since the start of the conflict last month. Houthi attacks on vessels during the Israel-Hamas war upended shipping in the Red Sea.
Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will attend talks in Islamabad on Sunday aimed at ending the war, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said.
Here is the latest:
Pakistan's foreign minister speaks with Iranian counterpart, urges de-escalation
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Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi late Saturday, urging “an end to all attacks and hostilities” in the region.
The call came ahead of a meeting in Islamabad of top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Dar told Araghchi that Pakistan remains committed to supporting efforts aimed at restoring regional peace and stability.
Israel approves plan to combat rise in settler violence in West Bank
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The Israeli cabinet has approved a decision to combat settler violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to an official familiar with the decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the media.
The Prime Minister's Office directive calls for prohibiting the establishment of any new settler outposts in the West Bank's Area B, which is under both Israeli military and Palestinian Authority jurisdiction, and immediately dismantling and levying sanctions against any settlers who attempt to establish new outposts.
The decision comes after 25 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, the majority by settlers, this year, according to the United Nations. The attacks, including arsons, shootings and beatings, have intensified as attention shifts to the Iran war.
The Israeli military said it would be moving additional troops to the West Bank to implement the decision.
Iran will allow more Pakistani ships through Strait of Hormuz
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Pakistan's foreign minister said late Saturday that Iran has agreed to allow 20 additional Pakistani-flagged ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Ishaq Dar wrote on X that two Pakistani ships would cross the strategic waterway daily under the arrangement.
“This is a welcome and constructive gesture by Iran and deserves appreciation,” Dar said. “It is a harbinger of peace and will help usher stability in the region.”
He said the move marked a meaningful step toward de-escalation and would strengthen efforts for peace.
Israeli military says it will complete' attacks against Iran's essential weapons production facilities
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Israel's military has struck more than 1,000 sites involved in weapons production. “This means we will have destroyed the majority of their military abilities, and it will take the regime a long time to rehabilitate them,” military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. “They wanted to launch hundreds of missiles towards Israel, and they're having difficulty realizing that goal, and they are launching much fewer,” he added.
He added that on Friday, Israel attacked two major factories, including a uranium factory and a heavy water factory that are part of Iran's nuclear weapons development. Iran has acknowledged attacks on the factories. At least one person was killed and 15 injured in a strike on a steel production factory in Isfahan, according to Iranian state media.
UAE's aluminum conglomerate reports significant damage' at an Abu Dhabi site
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The UAE's state-owned aluminum conglomerate, Emirates Global Aluminum, says a number of employees were injured in the Iranian missile and drone attack Saturday in Al Taweelah.
“We are deeply saddened and are assessing the damage to our facilities,” said CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban.
Emirates Global Aluminum says the site produced 1.6 million metric tonnes (1.76 million tons) of aluminum in 2025, or roughly 4 per cent of global production.
9 paramedics in Lebanon killed in Israeli strikes, health minister says
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Those deaths on Saturday raised the death toll among health care workers in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war to 51. Nine hospitals have been subjected to attacks and five closed as a result, Lebanon's Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine said.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the attacks on health care, saying they “are severely disrupting the delivery of services in southern Lebanon.”
This has been the second-deadliest month for health care workers in Lebanon since the U.N. agency began monitoring attacks on health care in the country in October 2023, he said.
Israel has accused Hezbollah of using medical facilities and ambulances for military purposes, without giving evidence.
Egyptian foreign minister arrives in Pakistan's capital
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Badr Abdelatty will take part in talks with his counterparts from Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia on the war in the Middle East.
In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the Egyptian foreign minister will hold consultations on regional developments and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Israeli military spokesman says Israel has significantly damaged Iran's nuclear program
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But Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin declined to comment on uranium that he said is underground. “There will be no nuclear weapons for Iran,” he added.
When asked about the Houthis, Defrin said Israel was preparing for a multifront war.
“We will know how to defend Israeli civilians. … We act, we don't talk,” he said, adding: “Anyone who threatens Israeli civilians, we will strike them.”
Reza Pahlavi tells US conservatives he's ready to lead transition
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Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi told a gathering of US conservatives on Saturday that he's ready to lead a transition away from the Islamic Republic and said when the “right moment arrives” he will call on the people of Iran to rise up.
Pahlavi spoke for nearly 30 minutes at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Dallas where he was interrupted several times by applause and cheers.
He praised President Donald Trump for initiating the military action against Iran's current government.
The biggest crowd reactions came when he asked the crowd if they could envision Iran turning into a friend and ally of the United States.
“Can you imagine Iran going from death to America to God bless America?” he said.
Later, the crowd erupted again when he added: “President Trump is making America great again. I intend to make Iran great again.”
Hezbollah launches 250 projectiles at Israeli soldiers, official says
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Hezbollah has launched some 250 projectiles from Lebanon in the past 24 hours, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines.
The official said most of the projectiles were aimed at Israeli soldiers operating in southern Lebanon and only 23 crossed the border into Israel. Northern Israel has still experienced constant sirens warning of projectiles from both Hezbollah and Iran.
The Israeli military said at least nine soldiers were injured, two severely, from Hezbollah rockets on Friday and Saturday.
Israeli fire kills 3 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say
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An Israeli airstrike killed one Palestinian in southern Gaza on Saturday, according to a health official at Nasser hospital, where the body arrived. Earlier Saturday, another Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Gaza Strip has seen near-daily Israeli fire and strikes since a fragile ceasefire was reached in October, and nearly 692 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
Israel and Hamas have traded accusations of violating the ceasefire.
Home of Iraqi Kurdish region's president targeted in drone attack
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The residence of Nechirvan Barzani, president of the semiautonomous northern Kurdish region of Iraq, in the city of Duhok was targeted Saturday, causing damage but no casualties, an official with the regional government told The Associated Press.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said the residence was empty at the time.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the attack in a phone call with Barzani, calling it a “heinous” act, according to a statement from his office.
Al-Sudani said a joint security and technical team from federal authorities and the northern Kurdish region's government would investigate and take legal measures against those responsible.
Qubad Talabani, deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdish region, said that armed groups operating outside state control pose a growing threat to stability in the country.
Death toll in Lebanon reaches 1,189 since Israel-Hezbollah war began
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The Health Ministry in Beirut said Saturday that 47 people were killed and 112 wounded over the past 24 hours.
The ministry says 1,189 have been killed and 3,427 wounded since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2.
Israel strikes weapons facilities across Tehran
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The Israeli military said it carried out widespread strikes overnight against Tehran, using more than 50 fighter jets to target weapons production infrastructure.
The military said the main target of the strikes was Iran's naval weapons production facilities. Iran did not immediately acknowledge any strikes on its marine or naval programs.
Qatar reports drones interception for the first time in days
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Qatar's Defence Ministry said it intercepted a number of drones fired from Iran, the first attack the Gulf state reports in over a week.
Qatar sounded the alarms to warn citizens against incoming fire on Friday but did not report any attacks following the alarms, according to an AP journalist.
First Marine expeditionary unit arrives in the Middle East
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A Navy ship carrying around 2,500 Marines has arrived in the Middle East, US Central Command announced Saturday.
The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, as well as the elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit that are aboard, are based in Japan. They were conducting exercises in the area around Taiwan when it was ordered to the Middle East almost two weeks ago.
US Central Command said that in addition to the Marines, the Tripoli also brings transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault assets to the region.
The USS Boxer and two other ships, along with another Marine Expeditionary Unit, have also been ordered to the region from San Diego.
11 injured in missile attack in central Israel
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Israel's rescue service Magen David Adom now says 11 people were lightly wounded in the attack in Eshtaol, near Jerusalem. Some were injured from the impact of the explosion and others hurt while running to shelters.
Among the wounded were a 75-year-old man whose roof collapsed and a 47-year-old whose doorway was blown off, medics said. (AP) AKY