US ambassador to Israel condemns settler attack on US journalist, and other Mideast news

The U.S. ambassador to Israel condemned a settler attack on an American journalist that left her needing surgery, in the latest incident of settler violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Meanwhile, two helicopter pilots were killed Sunday in Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen, which a Saudi military spokesperson said was due to a technical malfunction.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East. Read our full coverage here.

US ambassador condemns settler attack on American journalist

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sharply condemned settler violence during an olive harvest in the West Bank that injured several Palestinians and Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine as “a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards.” In a post late Saturday on X, he called for “a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law to whoever participated in this.”

Levine was seriously injured in the attack Friday in the West Bank village of Abu Falah. Israeli police are also investigating an attack by Israeli settlers on European diplomats Saturday in another West Bank village. Settler violence against Palestinians has soared this year and spiked further in recent weeks as Israel plans to hold elections Oct. 27.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ambiguous in addressing Levine’s assault, condemning “violence against anyone” but referring to the attack as “alleged” and saying its circumstances remain unclear. Huckabee said Levine’s assault was “vicious” and “dishonorable,” and noted that she was clearly identified as a journalist when she was attacked.

Levine, an award-winning photojournalist who has covered conflict zones around the world for more than four decades, remains hospitalized in Tel Aviv as she recovers from hand surgery, broken ribs and other injuries she sustained in the attack. She said she was forced to the ground and beaten for more than 10 minutes by the settlers, who also stole her camera, passport and phone.

The Washington Post reiterated its call for a full and transparent investigation, though Israel rarely investigates settler violence fully. Yesh Din, an Israeli rights group, says around 94% of investigations into settler violence since 2005 have ended without an indictment, with just 3% leading to full or partial convictions.

Saudi helicopter crashes near border with Yemen, killing two pilots

A Saudi helicopter gunship crashed in southwestern Saudi Arabia, killing its two-member crew in an area close to the border with Yemen, due to a technical malfunction, a Saudi military spokesperson said Sunday. The helicopter crashed near the city of Najran, close to the Yemen border, in an area that has been caught up in fierce fighting between the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi militants and a Saudi-led coalition attempting to contain them.

Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki made the statement hours after Houthis claimed to have downed the Saudi helicopter.

The Houthis, a Shiite religious and political movement rooted in northern Yemen, are attacking Saudi Arabia because it supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government in the civil war. The Saudis have struggled to counter the latest attacks, even with far superior U.S.-supplied arms.

Tugboat near UAE damaged by two projectiles

Two projectiles hit a vessel transiting off the United Arab Emirates early Sunday, wounding one person, a British military agency reported.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said the tug sustained damage but is continuing its route. The UKMTO did not identify the vessel and no group claimed responsibility for the attack. The tug was attacked in the Gulf of Oman, south of the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which has faced blockades and attacks in recent months.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.