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Editorial丨All should hold fire to give peace a chance

CHINADAILY · 公众号 · 时评 · 2025-03-18 10:47

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O ver the past year or so, tensions in the Middle East have continued to escalate, with the regional security situation deteriorating significantly and burning issues emerging one after another.

In the latest such development, the United States launched air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, adding more uncertainties to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire process.

In what the US president described on social media as a "decisive and powerful military action" in response to the Houthis' "unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones", US warships and jets launched attacks across Yemen, targeting radars, air defense sites and drone launch points.

▲ A view of the al-Shaab mosque, previously known as al-Saleh mosque, during the second day of the holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 2, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

The Houthi-run health ministry said at least 31 people were killed, and 101 injured in the strikes as of the weekend, which appear to be just the start of a US campaign against the Houthis. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that US air strikes against the Houthis will not stop until the group ends its attacks on US ships and drones.

The air strikes have raised tensions in the region that was just beginning to see some signs of de-escalation after Israel and Hamas concluded a 42-day ceasefire earlier this month. They have also cast a shadow over the Israel-Hamas talks that began last week in the Qatari capital of Doha on the commencement of the second phase of the ceasefire deal.

Since the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out in October 2023, the Houthi group, claiming to be acting in solidarity with the Palestinians, has targeted merchant vessels with missiles, drones and small boat attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden; the group has also targeted US aircraft carriers and naval vessels in the region. This prompted the US State Department to reinstate the group as a "foreign terrorist organization" earlier this month.

During the Israel-Hamas ceasefire the Houthis paused their attacks on shipping, but last week they threatened to resume attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea in an attempt to pressure Israel to reopen the border crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Editorial丨All should hold fire to give peace a chance

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