US Envoy Demands Arrests After Journalist Attack As Saudi Helicopter Crashes

The US ambassador to Israel has condemned an attack on American photojournalist Heidi Levine by suspected Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, demanding a full investigation and prosecution of those responsible. The incident comes amid rising settler violence, while a Saudi military helicopter crash and a projectile attack on a tugboat near the United Arab Emirates added to security concerns across West Asia on Sunday, October 18.

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee described the assault on Levine as a “despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards” in a post on X late Saturday. He called for the attackers to be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Levine, an award-winning photographer working for The Washington Post, was seriously injured on Friday while covering the olive harvest in the Palestinian village of Abu Falah. She reportedly suffered broken ribs and other injuries and underwent hand surgery. Levine said masked attackers forced her to the ground and beat her for more than 10 minutes, stealing her camera, passport and phone.

Israeli police are investigating the incident. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned violence against anyone but described the assault as alleged, saying the circumstances remained unclear. The Washington Post has demanded a full and transparent investigation. Israeli rights group Yesh Din says approximately 94 per cent of investigations into settler violence since 2005 ended without an indictment.

In another development, two Saudi helicopter pilots were killed when a military helicopter crashed near Najran in southwestern Saudi Arabia, close to the border with Yemen. Saudi military spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki attributed the crash to a technical malfunction. However, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed it had shot down the aircraft, presenting a different account of the incident.

The crash occurred in a region affected by the conflict involving the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition, which supports Yemen's internationally recognised government.

Meanwhile, a tugboat near the UAE was struck by two unidentified projectiles while travelling southbound northeast of Khor Fakkan on Sunday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

One person sustained minor injuries, and the vessel suffered damage but continued its journey. The agency did not identify the tugboat, and no group claimed responsibility for the incident in the initial report.