Ethiopia says it must defend itself against Eritrea's 'all-out invasion'

Key Points:

• Ethiopia accused Eritrean forces of an "all-out invasion" into northern Ethiopia, advancing up to 60 km, and called it a blatant act of aggression justifying self-defense in a letter to the UN Security Council.
• Eritrea denied the incursion claims, accusing Ethiopia of waging an unprovoked war for over three years and alleging Ethiopia aims to seize the Eritrean port of Assab to regain Red Sea access.
• Drone strikes by Ethiopian forces targeted Eritrean troops withdrawing near Adigrat, close to the Eritrean border, amid ongoing explosions reported by local residents.
• Ethiopian government forces have made recent gains in the Tigray region, with Ethiopian Airlines announcing the resumption of flights to Mekelle on October 11 as a sign of consolidation.
• The conflict follows a fragile peace after the 2018 agreement, with Eritrea denying support for the rebel alliance fighting Ethiopia’s federal government since late September, marking the largest escalation since the Tigray war.