U.S. and Israel Meet to Discuss Rafah Operation

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at U.S.-Israeli talks on a possible offensive in Rafah, renewed oil sanctions on Venezuela, and torrential rain across the Arabian Peninsula.

‘The Middle East Is on a Precipice’

Senior U.S. and Israeli officials held virtual talks on Thursday to discuss a possible Israeli ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The Biden administration has expressed worry about a high civilian casualty count if the assault occurs, and it denied reports that the White House gave Israel the green light to attack Rafah if it does not retaliate against Iran for Tehran’s strikes last Saturday.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan led the U.S. delegation, and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi led the Israeli team. This was the two nations’ second such meeting since April 1; in-person talks scheduled for this week were postponed due to Iran’s attack.

A U.S. official told Axios that Israel is considering a gradual operation in specific Rafah neighborhoods that would be evacuated in advance rather than an all-out assault on the city. In the interim, Israel continues to launch aerial attacks on Rafah, including an overnight strike on Thursday that killed 10 members of a single family, five of whom were children between the ages of 3 and 16, a local hospital reported.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi called for an immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza during a bilateral summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday. They advocated for a two-state solution, with Marsudi saying both nations “would also fully support Palestine’s membership” in the United Nations. The State of Palestine currently holds observer status at the multilateral body but is seeking full membership. A U.N. Security Council vote on the matter is scheduled to take place at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday. It is not expected to pass, as the United States—a veto-wielding member—opposes the move.

International leaders also expressed concerns on Thursday about Israel conducting a retaliatory attack on Iran. “The Middle East is on a precipice,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said. He warned of a “full-scale regional conflict” spilling beyond Gaza’s borders and urged “maximum restraint.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would “make its own decisions” on how to defend itself.

Following up on promises to support Israel after the Iranian attack, the United States also announced new sanctions against Iran. On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department issued sanctions on 16 people and two entities connected to Tehran’s drone programs, including executives of the manufacturer that supplied the Shahed-131 drones used in last weekend’s attack, as well as companies associated with Iran’s steel and auto industries. “Our actions make it harder and costlier at every turn for Iran to continue its destabilizing behavior,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

The United Kingdom and European Union followed suit with similar plans. On Thursday, London announced restrictions on six Iranian military entities and seven military officials. And on Wednesday, the EU said it will implement new sanctions on Iranian companies that produce drones and missiles. “We feel it’s very important to do everything to isolate Iran,” European Council President Charles Michel said.

Today’s Most Read

• Beijing Walks a Fine Line in the Middle East by James Palmer
• ‘The Regime’ Misunderstands Autocracy by Anastasia Edel
• America Fueled the Fire in the Middle East by Stephen M. Walt

What We’re Following

Not enough reform. The United States announced on Wednesday that it would reimpose sanctions against Venezuelan oil, one day before the decision’s deadline was set to expire. First introduced under then-U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019, the restrictions were partially lifted in October 2023 after Caracas promised to implement election reforms. However, the Biden administration said this week that Venezuela has not done enough to achieve free and fair elections. Companies will now have 45 days to “wind down” transactions with the Latin American country’s oil and gas sector.

Among the White House’s chief criticisms was a decision made by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to block leading opposition candidate María Corina Machado and her substitute, Corina Yoris, from running for president. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also accused Caracas of having “harassed and intimidated political opponents and unjustly detained numerous political actors and members of civil society.”

Experts predict fuel sales to decrease due to the ruling while U.S. oil companies scramble for special authorizations to remain in Venezuela. Maduro has previously warned that he would cancel repatriation flights to the United States if Washington continued what he called its “economic aggression.”

Mass flooding. Dubai struggled to clear clogged streets on Thursday after experiencing its heaviest rainfall since records began 75 years ago. Nearly 4 inches fell on the desert city within 12 hours on Tuesday—around what Dubai receives in a year—and in less than 24 hours, some areas recorded around 10 inches of rain. Officials documented heavy traffic, destroyed homes, and delayed flights from the storm.

In neighboring Oman, more than 20 people, including 10 children, were killed in flooding on Monday. And torrential rains caused flash floods and landslides across Afghanistan and Pakistan this week, damaging or destroying more than 2,600 homes and killing more than 130 people. Pakistan issued another flood warning on Thursday for early next week.

Tariffs against Beijing. U.S. President Joe Biden called for increased tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum products during a campaign event in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. The protectionist policy aims to safeguard U.S. jobs against what Biden called “unfair” competition, with the White House accusing Beijing of cheaply selling excess steel and aluminum. Beijing has previously denied dumping allegations.

Biden also announced an investigation into China’s shipbuilding and logistics sectors, which the U.S. United Steelworkers union and others have accused of unfair trade practices. The Chinese Embassy in the United States condemned Biden’s decision. And the International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday that such actions could increase inflation and worsen already fraught bilateral relations.

Odds and Ends

Amid seashells and skipping stones, scientists confirmed on Wednesday that a British girl and her father found a jawbone belonging to an ichthyosaur, a Triassic Period marine creature stretching between 72 and 85 feet long—making it one of the largest animals ever recorded. The fossil, found on a beach in Somerset, dates back 202 million years. Jurassic Park just got a whole lot tamer in comparison.