Angela Salvatore had been away from her father's hospital bedside for just over an hour when she says she got a frantic call from a nurse, pleading with her to calm him down.
U.S. intelligence suggests Iran involved in planning attacks in Red Sea
The U.S. on Friday released newly declassified intelligence that suggests Iran has been "deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea," National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson told CNN.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched more than 100 attacks against about a dozen commercial and merchant ships transiting the Red Sea over the past four weeks, CNN previously reported. The newly declassified intelligence suggests that 鈥淚ranian support throughout the Gaza crisis has enabled the Houthis to launch attacks against Israel and maritime targets, though Iran has often deferred operational decision-making authority to the Houthis,鈥 Watson said.
On Tuesday, a senior U.S. military official said the Iranians are operating in the Red Sea when asked whether Iran is helping the Houthis select targets. But that official said the Houthi attacks have been broadly indiscriminate.
鈥淚ran has the choice to provide or withhold this support, without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels navigating shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,鈥 Watson said.
The intelligence also suggests that the Iranians have provided monitoring systems to the Houthis that allows them to operate in the maritime space, Watson said.
鈥淚ranian-provided tactical intelligence has been critical in enabling Houthi targeting of maritime vessels since the group commenced attacks in November,鈥 she added.
The drones and missiles the Houthis have been using for the attacks were also provided by Iran, Watson said, as part of Iran鈥檚 arming of the rebel group since 2015.
The U.S. this week launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a maritime coalition aimed at beefing up security in the southern Red Sea. More than 20 nations have signed on to the initiative so far, the Pentagon said Thursday.
The "very significant breadth of attacks"on commercial ships in the Red Sea have escalated to a level not seen in at least "two generations,"a senior U.S. military official said Tuesday.
The official described the attacks, which the Iran-backed Houthis have launched using ballistic missiles and drones, as a "large change in the security environment than even what it was two months ago."
The Red Sea is home to one of the most important maritime trade routes in the world, and the attacks have had far-reaching reverberations, with at least 44 countries having connections to vessels attacked by the Houthis, and wider international trade being disrupted.
The attacks have escalated since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the October 7 terrorist attack that killed about 1,200 in Israel. As Israel ramped up its retaliation for the attack, the Houthis began targeting ships that it accused of supporting Israel鈥檚 war effort, though multiple companies that have been targeted have said they have no connection with Israel or the war.
Some of the world鈥檚 biggest companies, including oil giant BP and shipping company Maersk, announced they were suspending their operations in the Red Sea because of the continued attacks on the vessels in recent weeks. Oil and gas prices rose sharply after BP鈥檚 announcement.
The Houthis, one side of Yemen鈥檚 brutal, decade-long civil war, have said their attacks are retribution for Israel鈥檚 military campaign against Gaza. Not all ships targeted by the group are believed to have direct connections to Israel, however.
The Houthis have made incremental updates to their weaponry and firepower, and have targeted commercial ships using drones and anti-ship missiles.
A Houthi spokesperson told Al Jazeera earlier this week that the group would confront any U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A veteran Ottawa journalist is firing back against what he says are "entirely false" claims by a former Conservative cabinet minister that he acted as a Russian agent.
Trump says he's open to eliminating income taxes as he pushes sweeping tariff proposals on podcast with Joe Rogan
Former U.S. president Donald Trump said on Joe Rogan鈥檚 podcast Friday that he would be open to eliminating income taxes, while pushing his sweeping tariff proposal and praising the economic policies of the late 19th century.
Frozen waffles from Whole Foods join Canadian recall list over listeria concerns
Whole Foods Market is joining the growing list of brands whose frozen waffles have been recalled in Canada this week because of possible listeria contamination.
Canadian Ryan James Wedding finished in 24th place in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, but the snowboarder wouldn鈥檛 go on to improve his results in Torino four years later.
The mystery of a 100-year-old letter sent from Manitoba to Ireland is slowly unraveling thanks to the work of one amateur sleuth.
How will the U.S. election affect the way Canadians vote?
As months, become weeks, become days left before this U.S. election cycle comes to an end, here's a look at what each outcome might mean for Canadian politics.
She connected on Instagram with a guy who lived in another country. Then they decided to meet up
In early 2018, Amanda and Sunil started chatting, messaging back and forth on Instagram, introducing themselves and talking a little about their lives. Fast forward to August 2018, the couple got engaged on vacation in Thailand and a year later, after Amanda moved to India, got married.
Here's what buyers should know before making a used car purchase in Canada
Based on initial appearances, there are signs indicating the automobile industry is in healthy shape 鈥 for now.
Local Spotlight
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.