The European Union's naval mission in the southern Red Sea said on Saturday it had intercepted a Houthi missile to protect merchant ships.The EU's mission, known as Aspides, said in a press release that the German frigate "Hessen" had intercepted a missile attack from Houthi controlled territories."The action performed by Hessen was effective, avoiding any damage to seafarers and merchant shipping," it added.Aspides was launched in February to help protect the key maritime trade route from drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia, who say they are retaliating against Israel's war on Gaza.

The police arrested 11 Palestinian residents of Jenin who did not have valid residence permits in Israel's north, along with an additional Israeli driver, the police announced on Sunday.The illegal aliens were in a van in the Meggido Junction area. The 12 people were transferred to the police for further examination, the police added.

"The defense system has finished preparations for a response against any scenario that may develop with Iran," said Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during an operational situation assessment on Sunday. The assessment was held with other senior Israeli military officers.This announcement comes after the alleged Israeli airstrike that killed senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Reza Zahedi.