ISTANBUL -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that Türkiye's decision to suspend trade with Israel had one singular purpose, which is to compel the Israeli government into a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

He made the remarks during a meeting with the board of directors of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association in Istanbul, according to the presidency's website. (Türkiye-Israel-Trade-Suspension)

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SANAA -- Yemen's Houthi group announced on Friday the expansion of its ballistic missile attacks to include all Israeli-linked commercial vessels transiting the Mediterranean.

"We will attack all ships heading to or having links with Israel in the Mediterranean Sea as well as in any area within our reach," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement while elaborating on the group's fourth phase of military escalation in the region. (Yemen-Houthis-Maritime-Attacks)

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BAGHDAD -- A Shiite militia in Iraq on Friday claimed responsibility for an attack on a vital site in Israel.

The militia, known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, said in an online statement that its fighters conducted a strike "with appropriate weapons on a vital target within the Dead Sea (area) on Friday morning," without providing additional details about the specific location targeted or any resulting casualties. (Iraq-Militia-Israel-Attacks)

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DAMASCUS -- Approximately 17 pro-government soldiers were killed on Friday in an assault by terrorist cells affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group in the desert region of the central Syrian province of Hama, pro-government Sham FM radio reported.

The attack occurred in the area of Rasem Al-Kom in the countryside of Hama, said the report, giving no further details. (Syria-IS-Clashes) Enditem

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