US officials have issued a warning over the missile capability of the Houthi militia despite major airstrikes against nearly 30 locations on Thursday and Friday.
The UK joined the US-led operation in hitting more than 60 missile and drone targets in response to the group targeting ships in the Red Sea.
But despite around 90 per cent of the targets being hit, two US officials warned on Sunday that the group retained about three-quarters of its ability to fire missiles and drones at vessels using the narrow strip of water.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the New York Times reported that the two officials said only about 20 to 30 percent of the Houthis’ offensive capability had been destroyed.
They said the difficulty was that much of the offensive weapons were on mobile platforms and could be moved or hidden.
It comes as the Lord Cameron warned Britain could strike Houthi targets again if the rebel group continued to attack ship in the Red Sea.
Suggesting that the Iran-linked militants could force up prices in Britain, he said that not acting would be accepting that Houthi attacks could “virtually shut a vital sea lane with relative impunity”.
Key Points
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Keir Starmer: ‘Doing nothing in Yemen was not an appropriate response’
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US military strike another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen
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Keir Starmer: Labour backs strikes on Houthi rebels
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David Cameron hints Britain could strike again if Houthis continue attacking
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Houthi rebel spokesperson vows ‘strong and effective’ response
Watch: Foreign secretary says Red Sea military action ‘completely separate’ from Israel-Hamas war
20:30 , Matt Mathers
Lord Cameron: Red Sea military action ‘completely separate’ from Israel-Hamas war
ICYMI: Lord Cameron raises prospect of further strikes in Yemen, warning Britain will follow ‘words with actions’
19:30 , Matt Mathers
Lord Cameron raised the prospect of further UK strikes against rebel Houthis in Yemen, warning that it is “incredibly important that they understand” Britain will follow words with action.
As Sir Keir Starmer doubled down on his backing for the government’s action over the Red Sea crisis, the foreign secretary opened the door to further attacks.
Archie Mitchell reports:
Lord Cameron raises prospect of further strikes in Yemen
Cameron’s plan to tackle Houthis is little more than an expensive illusion
18:32 , Matt Mathers
Using $2m missiles to fend off $15,000 drones is not an economically viable long-term strategy, writes Mark Almond. But nevertheless, world trade must be secured somehow.
Read Mark’s full piece here:
Cameron’s plan to tackle Houthis is little more than a costly illusion | Mark Almond
UK ‘absolutely right’ to launch strikes on Houthis, former MI6 chief says
17:33 , Matt Mathers
Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove said the UK was “absolutely” right to launch strikes on the Houthis.
He told Sky News Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “I don’t think that the Government has any choice and I’m rather disappointed to see that both France and Italy had been reluctant to associate themselves with this offensive.”
Asked about the links between the Houthis and Iran, Sir Richard said the relationship between the two is “incredibly important”.
He also said: “There are three proxy organisations – there’s Hezbollah, there’s Hamas, there’s Houthi.
“I think Hezbollah and Hamas are much much more controlled and closer to Iran. The Houthis let’s say are two-thirds controlled.”
Mapped: How the US and UK attacks on Houthi rebels took place and what weapons were used?
17:00 , Matt Mathers
After two months of continual Iran-backed Houthi attacks on commercial vessels, the US and the UK have launched more than 100 strikes against the militant group’s positions across western Yemen.
Huge explosions were seen in Yemeni cities including Sana’a and Hodeidah in the early hours of Friday, with the US military saying 60 strikes were launched against 16 sites linked to the Houthis’ military operations.
Below, The Independent looks at how the attacks unfolded and what weapons were used in the strikes:
How did the US and UK attacks on Houthi rebels happen and what weapons were used?
Hezbollah says security of all shipping harmed after US strikes on Yemen
16:26 , Matt Mathers
The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said on Sunday that the United States was wrong if it thought the Houthis of Yemen would stop confronting Israel in the Red Sea, saying US actions there would harm the security of all maritime navigation.
Describing US and British strikes on Yemen as an act of stupidity, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the Houthis would continue targeting ships belonging to Israel and going to its ports.
“The more dangerous thing is what the Americans did in the Red Sea will harm the security of all maritime navigation, even the ships that are not going to Palestine, even the ships which are not Israeli, even the ships that have nothing to do with the matter, because the sea has become a theatre of fighting, missiles, drones and war ships,” he said.
Starmer and Cameron defy critics on Houthi strikes warning not acting was not an option
15:43 , Matt Mathers
Sir Keir Starmer and Lord Cameron put on a united front on Sunday, insisting not acting against Houthi rebels disrupting shipping in the Red Sea was not an option.
The Labour leader and foreign secretary took to the airwaves to insist Britain’s strikes in Yemen were necessary after weeks of escalating attacks on cargo ships.
Archie Mitchell reports:
Starmer and Cameron defy critics on Houthi strikes warning no action was not option
Egypt, China stress priority of safety, security of Red Sea navigation
15:16 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Egypt and China are closely following developments in the Red Sea, focusing on the priority of ensuring the safety and security of navigation, the two countries said in a joint statement on Sunday.
Both expressed concern over the expansion of the conflict in the region, emphasizing the importance of efforts to stop attacks on Gaza, the statement added.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, speaking at a press conference in Cairo after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, called for an end to the attacks on civilian vessels in the Red Sea, though he did not mention the Iran-backed Houthi militia responsible for those attacks.
“The situation in the Red Sea has escalated sharply recently, and China is deeply concerned about this,” Wang said.
“China calls for a halt to the harassment and attacks on civilian ships and for the maintenance of the smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains and the international trade order.”
“The adding of fuel to the fire of tensions in the Red Sea should be avoided and an increase in the overall security risk of the region should be prevented,” Wang said, without naming the United States and Britain.
Wang added that while it was necessary for all parties to jointly maintain the safety of the Red Sea waterways in the accordance with the law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries on both sides of the Red Sea, including Yemen, must be respected.
Hezbollah sees all maritime navigation in danger after US strikes on Yemen
14:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said on Sunday that the United States was wrong if it thought the Houthis of Yemen would stop confronting Israel in the Red Sea, saying U.S. actions there had endangered all maritime navigation.
Describing U.S. and British strikes on Yemen as an act of stupidity, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the Houthis would continue targeting ships belonging to Israel and going to its ports.
“The more dangerous thing is what the Americans did in the Red Sea will harm all maritime navigation, even the ships that are not going to Palestine, even the ships which are not Israeli, even the ships that have nothing to do with the matter, because the sea has become a theatre of fighting, missiles, drones and war ships,” he said.
“Security has been disrupted.”
John Rentoul: Will war in the Middle East cast a shadow over a Starmer government?
14:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The shadow cabinet is more deeply divided than it appears. Labour is still subject to less media scrutiny than the Conservatives, despite the widespread assumption that Keir Starmer will become prime minister this year.
Most Labour MPs are also more disciplined than most Tory MPs because they can feel election victory within their grasp, whereas the Tories are either fed up or have given up, and so are happier to be rude about each other in private and in public.
As ever in politics, Labour’s divisions are a mixture of the personal and the ideological, and foreign policy is one of the hidden fractures threatening the foundations of an incoming government.
Will war in the Middle East cast a shadow over a Starmer government? | John Rentoul
Why are Britain and US attacking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels?
13:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The US and the UK have carried out military strikes with aircraft, ships and missiles against targets linked to Houthis in Yemen,
The attacks came after the Houthis launched their largest attack on Red Sea shipping, one of 27 such assaults since 19 November.
Officials said that 21 missiles and drones were fired at warships and commercial vessels near the Bab al-Mandab Strait earlier this week, the southern bottleneck of the Red Sea, with US and UK warships blowing them out of the sky.
Here is what we know so far:
Why are Britain and US attacking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels?
Germany to take part in EU Red Sea naval mission – legislator
12:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Germany is expected to participate in a European Union naval mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea that EU foreign ministers will approve this month, the head of the German parliamentary defence committee said.
Speaking at her party’s reception for the new year on Sunday, Maria-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said the aim of the mission would be for EU frigates to protect commercial vessels passing through the strait.
The approaches to the Suez Canal, one of the world’s most important shipping lanes, have been all but paralysed by attacks on passing vessels by Iran-backed Houthi forces on the Yemen coast.
“This is an attack on free trade and has to be countered,” Strack-Zimmermann said. Newspaper Welt am Sonntag earlier reported that the German frigate Hessen would set sail for the Red Sea on Feb. 1.
Parliament must approve any foreign deployment of Germany’s armed forces.
RAF strikes not an escalation of war in the Middle East, Lord Cameron insists
12:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Lord Cameron has denied RAF strikes in Yemen will escalate the picture in the Middle East, as he warned the world faces a period of great peril.
The Foreign Secretary insisted it was the Houthi rebels who had taken steps to escalate conflict in the region with their attacks on container ships passing through the Red Sea.
The militant group, which backs Hamas, claims they have targeted ships with links to Israel.
The Houthis’ actions have posed a threat to the flow of global trade, disrupting merchant vessels from passing through the sea to the Suez Canal, a route which serves 15% of world shipping.
The Foreign Secretary denied that the UK had escalated the situation by taking part in US-led air strikes on Houthi military facilities across Yemen overnight on Thursday.
He had previously warned the RAF could join the USA in further strikes against the Houthis in order to deter their attacks.
“The escalation has been caused by the Houthis. I mean the point is since November 19, you have had these 26 attacks”, Lord Cameron told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
He added: “There have been more of them, they have been getting worse, and you know, not acting is also a policy, it is a policy that doesn’t work.”
Mapped: How the US and UK attacks on Houthi rebels took place and what weapons were used?
12:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
After two months of continual Iran-backed Houthi attacks on commercial vessels, the US and the UK have launched more than 100 strikes against the militant group’s positions across western Yemen.
Huge explosions were seen in Yemeni cities including Sana’a and Hodeidah in the early hours of Friday, with the US military saying 60 strikes were launched against 16 sites linked to the Houthis’ military operations.
Below, The Independent looks at how the attacks unfolded and what weapons were used in the strikes.
How did the US and UK attacks on Houthi rebels happen and what weapons were used?
11:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Watch in full: Editor-in-chief Geordie Greig talks Yemen and political Traitors
Starmer weakens pledges on military action votes and Saudi arms sales
11:17 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Sir Keir Starmer has watered down promises to introduce a law giving MPs a vote before military intervention and to stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia.
The Labour leader insisted on Sunday that there is “no inconsistency” between his previous promise to give the Commons a say before authorising action and his support for strikes against Houthis.
But his comments marked another change to his past pledges which will further raise concerns on the left and leave him open to Conservative accusations of “flip-flopping”.
Starmer weakens pledges on military action votes and Saudi arms sales
10:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Geordie Greig discusses return of ‘Rolls Royce’ David Cameron to UK politics
Keir Starmer: ‘Doing nothing in Yemen was not an appropriate response’
10:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Sir Keir Starmer has backed Lord Cameron’s claim that “doing nothing” in response to Houthi attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea was not an option.
“They were ramping up and escalating… sitting back and doing nothing in that situation is not an appropriate response,” the Labour leader said.
He went on to say he does not want to “ramp up the rhetoric” but that he has “serious concerns” about Iran, which backs the Houthi rebels.
And he repeatedly called for Rishi Sunak to make a statement in parliament explaining the UK and US strikes on Monday.
10:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
When faced with previous comments about how Parliament should vote before any UK military action, Starmer insisted: “There’s no inconsistency here.”
“There will always be urgent situations where Parliament can’t be consulted beforehand,” he said.
Starmer explains why he backs government’s response to Houthis
09:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Speaking on the UK’s attacks on Yemen, Sir Keir said: “It’s important to look at what Houthis are doing in the Red Sea. Those attacks are taking place. They were ramping up and escalating.
“Sitting back and doing nothing is not an appropriate way to respond and that’s why I back the operation the government briefed me on.”
Starmer calls for a ‘sustainable’ ceasefire in Gaza
09:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Laura Kuenssberg challenged Keir Starmer if it is time as Labour leader to call for a ceasefire.
Sir Keir said: “I do think we need a sustainable ceasefire. The question is how do we get there?”
He added that we need a “humanitarian truce” to allow aid to get in, as well as the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
However, when pushed once more, he confirmed he is not calling for an immediate ceasefire.
09:37 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Lord Cameron: Red Sea military action ‘completely separate’ from Israel-Hamas war
‘Are we getting into something we can’t get out of?’
09:33 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Commenting on Lord’s Cameron interview, The Independent’s editor in chief said: “The worry is, are we getting into something we can’t get out of?
“What is being argued by both Cameron and Starmer is correct, but yes there are amber, maybe red, lights flashing.”
‘Calling for a ceasefire might make you feel better… but it is not going to be sustainable,’ Lord Cameron
09:27 , Archie Mitchell
Lord Cameron has said that calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas “can make you feel better”, but said “it’s not actually going to be sustainable”.
“You’re not really doing something that is going to bring this situation to an end,” the foreign secretary said.
He added: “I want it to be sustainable. And you can’t have a situation where Hamas are still in power, still launching rockets, still capable of launching terrorist attacks against Israel. “That’s not going to be a sustainable ceasefire.”
Foreign secretary defends not consulting Parliament on Houthi attacks
09:21 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
When asked why Parliament was not consulted on the Houthi attacks, Lord Cameron said it was necessary to take quick action to launch the strikes in Yemen for reasons of operational security.
He said “he doesn’t think it would have been right” to have a debate in Parliament before the strikes. However, there will be a statement in the Commons tomorrow.
Lord Cameron wants to send the Houthis ‘a very clear message’
09:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Lord Cameron said the attacks on Yemen “send a very clear message”.
Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC, the foreign secretary said: “We are prepared to back our words with actions. That is what we want the Houthis to know.”
The Independent’s editor in chief on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
09:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The Independent’s editor in chief Geordie Greig is on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg as the presenter interviews Lord Cameron and Keir Starmer.
Lord Cameron: ‘Not acting was not working’ in Yemen
08:58 , Archie Mitchell
Lord Cameron has brushed off criticism of the government’s strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, saying that “not acting was not working”.
The foreign secretary said the number of attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea was going up and the severity was going up, despite almost two months of warnings from the UK.
And Lord Cameron told Sky News: “Not acting is also a policy and it was a policy that wasn’t working and that’s why it’s necessary to act.”
He has suggested Britain could strike Houthi targets in Yemen again if the rebel group continue to attack ships in the Red Sea.
Keir Starmer: Labour backs strikes on Houthi rebels to protect UK
08:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial ships in the Red Sea threaten one of the world’s most important trade routes and put the lives of British civilians and military personnel in danger. They must stop, and it is right that Britain plays its part, alongside our allies, in deterring these attacks.
That is why Labour backs the action of recent days to protect shipping and reinforce maritime security in the Red Sea. The first duty of any government is to keep our country and its citizens safe, and protecting trade, security and lives are paramount to our national interest.
Twenty per cent of all container shipping passes through this route. In accordance with the legal advice, these strikes were limited and targeted, and we would expect every precaution to have been taken to protect civilian lives. I pay tribute to our forces in the region, who have yet again shown the highest professionalism and bravery.
Labour backs strikes on Houthi rebels to protect UK| Keir Starmer
Houthis carry out military drills after US strike – reports
08:00 , Namita Singh
Houthi rebels carried out military drills after US-led strikes, reported Al-Masirah TV.
The exercise carried out in the province of Saada near Saudi Arabia involved the live firing of tanks, artillery, drones and other weapons against targets bearing Israeli flags, with rebel commanders asserting their preparedness for battle against “ American and Zionist” enemies, reported Bloomberg.
ICYMI: Houthis threaten ‘strong and effective response’ after US-led strikes
07:30 , Namita Singh
The Houthi rebels threatened a “strong and effective response” after the United States carried out another strike in Yemen overnight, further ratcheting up tensions as Washington vowed to protect shipping from attacks by the Iran-aligned movement.
The strikes have added to concerns about the escalation of a conflict that has spread through the Middle East since the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel went to war, with Iran’s allies also entering the fray from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.
President Joe Biden said the United States had sent a private message to Iran about the Houthi attacks. He did not elaborate, telling reporters, “We delivered it privately and we’re confident we’re well-prepared.”
The latest strike, which the US said hit a radar site, came a day after dozens of American and British strikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen.
“This new strike will have a firm, strong and effective response,” Houthi spokesperson Nasruldeen Amer told Al Jazeera, adding there had been no injuries nor “material damages.”
Mohammed Abdulsalam, another Houthi spokesperson, told Reuters the strikes, including the one overnight that hit a military base in Sanaa, had no significant impact on the group’s ability to prevent Israel-affiliated vessels from passing through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
Why are Britain and US attacking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels?
07:00 , Namita Singh
The US and the UK have carried out military strikes with aircraft, ships and missiles against targets linked to Houthis in Yemen,
The attacks came after the Houthis launched their largest attack on Red Sea shipping, one of 27 such assaults since 19 November.
Officials said that 21 missiles and drones were fired at warships and commercial vessels near the Bab al-Mandab Strait earlier this week, the southern bottleneck of the Red Sea, with US and UK warships blowing them out of the sky.
Here is what we know so far:
Why are Britain and US attacking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels?
In video: Houthi site damage before and after US-led airstrikes
06:30 , Namita Singh
Houthi site damage before and after US-led airstrikes captured by satellite
Is Sunak heading into a war that will swallow his reputation as Iraq did Blair’s?
06:00 , Holly Evans
Rishi Sunak is taking a terrible risk in approving the air sorties against Houthi targets in Yemen. It may seem to be a minor military engagement. It may seem that he is part of a broad international coalition. And it may look as if the fuss about whether parliament should have voted on it is an irrelevant distraction, given that the Labour Party supports the strikes.
But the echoes from the past should keep Sunak awake at night.
Tony Blair’s first involvement in Iraq was to order airstrikes alongside Bill Clinton, the US president, in 1998, five years before the land invasion was launched.
Read the full opinion piece from John Rentoul here
Is Sunak heading into a war that will swallow his reputation as Iraq did Blair’s?
US expects Houthis to strike back as it delivers message to Iran
05:45 , Namita Singh
US military and White House officials said they expect the Houthis to strike back.
When Joe Biden was asked on Saturday about the message sent to Iran from the US strikes against the Houthis, he told reporters: “We delivered it privately and we’re confident we’re well prepared.”
The US-led bombardment – launched in response to a recent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea – killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said.
The US said the strikes, in two waves, took aim at targets in 28 different locations across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
ICYMI: US military strike another Houthi-controlled site after risk to Red Sea ships
05:30 , Namita Singh
The US military early on Saturday struck another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen that they determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk.
That is according to two US officials who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press to discuss an operation that had not yet been publicly announced.
US Central Command said the “follow-on action”, early on Saturday local time against a Houthi radar site, was conducted by the Navy destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk land attack missiles.
The first day of strikes on Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets.
However, the US determined the additional location, a radar site, still presented a threat to maritime traffic, one official said.
Targeted strikes against Houthi rebels are moral and justified
05:00 , Holly Evans
The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is serious enough, but one of the great concerns about it is that it will escalate into a regional war by drawing in Iranian proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, and possibly Iran itself.
For that reason, the United States and British airstrikes against the Houthis on Thursday and Friday nights were alarming. However, it is the Houthis, who call themselves Ansar Allah, Partisans of God, who are seeking to extend the conflict, not the US-led coalition.
The leaders of the international community cannot afford to ignore the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. Which is why The Independent supports the limited and targeted airstrikes aimed at disabling Houthi infrastructure for launching missiles and drones at civilian ships.
Read the full article here
Editorial: Targeted strikes against Houthi rebels are moral and right
Keir Starmer: Labour backs strikes on Houthi rebels
04:30 , Namita Singh
The attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial ships in the Red Sea threaten one of the world’s most important trade routes and put the lives of British civilians and military personnel in danger.
They must stop, and it is right that Britain plays its part, alongside our allies, in deterring these attacks.
That is why Labour backs the action of recent days to protect shipping and reinforce maritime security in the Red Sea, writes Sir Keir Starmer for The Independent.
Labour backs strikes on Houthi rebels to protect UK| Keir Starmer
Thousands attend pro-Palestine protest as police warn of crackdown on slogans
04:00 , Holly Evans
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of London on Saturday to march against the ongoing attacks in Gaza, as part of a global day of action.
Large demonstrations also took place in Dublin and Edinburgh, with a 70-year-old woman arrested after a car ploughed into a small number of protesters.
More than 1,700 police officers were on duty for the march that went through central London to Westminster, with nine people arrested in the capital.
Read the full article here
Thousands attend pro-Palestine protest as police warn of crackdown on slogans
David Cameron hints Britain could strike again if Houthis continue attacking
03:30 , Namita Singh
Britain could strike Houthi targets in Yemen again if the rebel group continues to attack ships in the Red Sea, foreign secretary Lord David Cameron has suggested.
Lord Cameron warned that the Iran-linked militants could force up prices in Britain if they are allowed to block the passage of container ships in the busy trade route.
The US struck another site in Yemen early on Saturday after the Houthis vowed revenge for the bombing raid carried out by the Americans and the RAF a day earlier.
Report:
David Cameron hints Britain could strike again if Houthis continue attacking
Independent view: Targeted strikes against Houthi rebels are moral and justified
03:15 , Namita Singh
The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is serious enough, but one of the great concerns about it is that it will escalate into a regional war by drawing in Iranian proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, and possibly Iran itself.
For that reason, the United States and British airstrikes against the Houthis on Thursday and Friday nights were alarming. However, it is the Houthis, who call themselves Ansar Allah, Partisans of God, who are seeking to extend the conflict, not the US-led coalition.
The leaders of the international community cannot afford to ignore the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. Which is why The Independent supports the limited and targeted airstrikes aimed at disabling Houthi infrastructure for launching missiles and drones at civilian ships.
Editorial: Targeted strikes against Houthi rebels are moral and right
Trump lashes out at ‘worst president’ Biden over Houthi airstrikes
03:00 , Holly Evans
Donald Trump lashed out at his likely 2024 general election opponent President Joe Biden after US and UK forces struck Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“So, let me get this straight,” the former president began in a post on Truth Social on Friday morning. “We’re dropping bombs all over the Middle East, AGAIN (where I defeated ISIS!), and our Secretary of Defence, who just went missing for five days, is running the war from his laptop in a hospital room.”
Secretary of defence Lloyd Austin has been criticised after spending days in hospital being treated for prostate cancer and being slow to notify the administration and the public.
Read the full article here
Trump lashes out at ‘worst president’ Biden over Houthi airstrikes
What happens if the Houthi rebels fight back?
02:00 , Holly Evans
So what’s the plan? As ever, the British military, led by the United States, drew up an exquisitely detailed plan for a limited, targeted, clinical air strike on Houthi targets in Yemen.
The UK and US-led strikes were as a direct result of weeks of Houthi aggression towards shipping in the Red Sea, including a Royal Navy vessel, and the casualties were, as intended, very light.
Mission accomplished, then?
Read the full article here
What happens if the Houthi rebels fight back?
Why are Britain and US attacking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels?
01:00 , Holly Evans
The US and the UK have carried out military strikes with aircraft, ships and missiles against targets linked to Houthis in Yemen,
The attacks came after the Houthis launched their largest attack on Red Sea shipping, one of 27 such assaults since 19 November.
Officials said that 21 missiles and drones were fired at warships and commercial vessels near the Bab al-Mandab Strait earlier this week, the southern bottleneck of the Red Sea, with US and UK warships blowing them out of the sky.
Read the full article here
Why are Britain and US attacking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels?
Houthi rebels won’t be stopped by a single raid – we must hit them again
00:00 , Holly Evans
After some traditional political and media choreography, the US and the UK last night attacked 16 sites in Yemen with a combination of bombs and missiles fired from at sea and in the air.
This action was supported by several other states, including some in the region, allowing four Typhoon jets to fly to Yemen from Cyprus, no doubt refuelling in the air en route. The objective was to destroy some of the launch sites, ammunition dumps, and command and control facilities that have enabled the Houthis to attack international shipping in the Red Sea on 26 occasions since last November.
Will the Houthi attacks now stop, or continue – and might this action lead to an escalation of the current crisis in the Middle East centred on Gaza?
Read the full analysis here
Houthi rebels won’t be stopped by a single raid – we must hit them again
Will the clash with the Houthi rebels lead to global conflict?
Saturday 13 January 2024 23:00 , Holly Evans
The airstrikes by the US and the UK came after repeated warnings to the Houthis that their attacks on Red Sea shipping would have severe consequences. These had no effect, and 27 vessels have been targeted by the militia in the last two months.
As a result, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes has become an area of extreme hazard. Global trade declined by 1.3 per cent from November to December.
More than 30 per cent of the cargo was diverted around the South African coast, with prices soaring as a result. Freight costs from Asia to northern Europe and North America have more than doubled.
Read the full article from Kim Sengupta here
Will the clash with the Houthi rebels lead to global conflict?
Lord David Cameron suggests more airstrikes possible against Houthi rebels
Saturday 13 January 2024 23:00 , Holly Evans
Britain could strike Houthi targets in Yemen again if the rebel group continues to attack ships in the Red Sea, Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has suggested.
Lord Cameron warned that the Iran-linked militants could force up prices in Britain if they are allowed to block the passage of container ships in the busy trade route.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Lord Cameron said the joint action “will have gone some way to degrade Houthi capabilities built up with Iranian backing”.
He argued that not acting would be accepting that Houthi attacks could “virtually shut a vital sea lane with relative impunity”.
“If the Houthis deny this passage to ships, vital supply chains are threatened and prices will go up in Britain and across the globe.”
Lord Cameron said that the air strikes “sent an unambiguous message” to the Houthis that “we are determined to put a stop” to their Red Sea attacks.
And he hinted that Britain could join the US in striking the Houthis again if they continue.
“We will work with allies. We will always defend the freedom of navigation. And, crucially, we will be prepared to back words with actions,” he said.
Keir Starmer backs Yemen bombing and issues stern warning to ‘terror sponsors’ Iran
Saturday 13 January 2024 22:00 , Holly Evans
Sir Keir Starmer has reaffirmed his support for British and American bombing raids in Yemen and denounced Iran for “sponsoring terrorism”.
In an article for The Independent, the Labour leader defended his decision to offer strong support to Rishi Sunak for sending British forces into action against Houthi militants and acting in the “national interest”.
He appeared to give the green light to further US and UK military action saying “we must retain the flexibility to react with the necessary speed to threats”.
Read the full article here
Keir Starmer backs Yemen bombing and issues stern warning to ‘terror sponsors’ Iran
Keir Starmer: Labour backs strikes on Houthi rebels to protect UK
Saturday 13 January 2024 21:05 , Holly Evans
The attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial ships in the Red Sea threaten one of the world’s most important trade routes and put the lives of British civilians and military personnel in danger. They must stop, and it is right that Britain plays its part, alongside our allies, in deterring these attacks.
That is why Labour backs the action of recent days to protect shipping and reinforce maritime security in the Red Sea. The first duty of any government is to keep our country and its citizens safe, and protecting trade, security and lives are paramount to our national interest.
Twenty per cent of all container shipping passes through this route. In accordance with the legal advice, these strikes were limited and targeted, and we would expect every precaution to have been taken to protect civilian lives. I pay tribute to our forces in the region, who have yet again shown the highest professionalism and bravery.
Read the full opinion piece by Sir Keir Starmer here
Labour backs strikes on Houthi rebels to protect UK| Keir Starmer
Houthi rebel spokesperson vows ‘strong and effective’ response
Saturday 13 January 2024 20:35 , Holly Evans
The latest strike, which the U.S. said hit a radar site, came a day after dozens of American and British strikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen.
“This new strike will have a firm, strong and effective response,” Houthi spokesperson Nasruldeen Amer told Al Jazeera, adding there had been no injuries nor “material damages.”
Mohammed Abdulsalam, another Houthi spokesperson, told Reuters the strikes, including the one overnight that hit a military base in Sanaa, had no significant impact on the group’s ability to prevent Israel-affiliated vessels from passing through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
The Pentagon said on Friday the U.S.-British strikes had “good effects.”
Israel accuses Hamas of planning to attack its embassy in Sweden
Saturday 13 January 2024 20:00 , Holly Evans
Israel accused Hamas on Saturday of planning to attack its embassy in Sweden as part of an expansion by the Palestinian Islamist militant group into Europe, where authorities announced the arrests of several suspects last month.
In a statement following up on the arrests announced by Danish, German and Swedish authorities, Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency named an alleged Hamas network member in Sweden, without specifying whether he was also in custody.
Mapped: How the US and UK attacks on Houthi rebels took place and what weapons were used?
Saturday 13 January 2024 19:30 , Holly Evans
After two months of continual Iran-backed Houthi attacks on commercial vessels, the US and the UK have launched more than 100 strikes against the militant group’s positions across western Yemen.
Huge explosions were seen in Yemeni cities including Sana’a and Hodeidah in the early hours of Friday, with the US military saying 60 strikes were launched against 16 sites linked to the Houthis’ military operations.
Below, The Independent looks at how the attacks unfolded and what weapons were used in the strikes.
Read the full article here
How did the US and UK attacks on Houthi rebels happen and what weapons were used?
Israeli PM says decision yet to be made over military takeover of border with Egypt
Saturday 13 January 2024 19:00 , Holly Evans
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that a decision had yet to be made about a potential military takeover of the “Philadelphi Corridor” along the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt.
Telling reporters that sealing off the zone to isolate Hamas was an aim of the Gaza war, Netanyahu said “there are a number of options,” including moving forces into Philadelphi.
“We have looked into these and have yet to make a decision,” he said.
The Houthis are used to airstrikes after years of Yemen’s civil war – they won’t go quietly
Saturday 13 January 2024 18:30 , Holly Evans
The impact of Israel’s bloody war inside Gaza has sent tidal waves through the Red Sea and across the region.
Now British warplanes and American jets, ships and submarines have launched more than 100 precision-guided munitions at dozens of targets across Yemen against the Houthis, an Iran-backed militant group that has taken control of swathes of the war-ravaged country across the last decade.
This extraordinary action was in retaliation for Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, which the rebels claim is aimed at Israel-bound ships and intended to support the Palestinian cause against Israel. According to some reports, the Houthi attacks have reduced shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait by as much as 40 per cent. The crisis has even threatened to see manufacturing of goods halt – Tesla announced it had to shutter a factory in Germany for two weeks over the unrest.
Read the full report from international correspondent Bel Trew here
The Houthis are used to airstrikes after years of war in Yemen, they won’t go quietly
Woman charged with driving offence after crashing into protesters
Saturday 13 January 2024 18:02 , Holly Evans
A pensioner crashed into a group of Palestine protesters who were marching through Edinburgh. No injuries were reported and the driver was arrested and charged.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.30pm on Saturday, 13 January, 2024, we were made aware of a road crash involving a car and a small number of pedestrians in Mount Place Edinburgh.
“Officers received reports of minor injuries from pedestrians, but no medical attention was required.
“A 70-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a driving offence. A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.”
In pictures: Pro-Palestine protesters march through the streets of London
Saturday 13 January 2024 17:38 , Holly Evans
New strike hits Houthi rocket launch site
Saturday 13 January 2024 17:20 , Holly Evans
A new strike has hit a Houthi rocket launch site in the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, Houthi sources told AFP.
The military source said that it was a blast at a site “from which a Houthi rocket [had been] launched” and that it was outside of the city.
The source added that it was not clear whether the strike came from sea or the air, while a police source also confirmed the new strike.
IDF personnel killed in Gaza rises to 187
Saturday 13 January 2024 16:54 , Holly Evans
The number of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers killed since Israel began ground operations in the Gaza Strip has risen to 187, the IDF has said.
This total does not include the more than 500 IDF troops killed during the Hamas terror incursion in southern Israel on 7 October.
The statement came as the IDF announced the death of Master Sergeant Dan Wajdenbaum, 24, who was killed in central Gaza on Friday.
Three more arrested at London’s Palestine march over posters
Saturday 13 January 2024 16:36 , Holly Evans
Three people have been arrested for handing out leaflets which support the Hamas attack in Israel on 7 October.
A social media post from the Met Police said: “Officers have located the group distributing these leaflets. Three people have been arrested on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation which is an offence under the Terrorism Act.”
Officers have located the group distributing these leaflets.
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation which is an offence under the Terrorism Act. https://t.co/UALNBVJpV4
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 13, 2024
Biden has delivered a ‘private’ message to Iran
Saturday 13 January 2024 16:25 , Holly Evans
President Joe Biden said on Saturday the United States had delivered a private message to Iran about Iran-backed Houthis responsible for attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
“We delivered it privately and we’re confident we’re well-prepared,” Biden told reporters at the White House before departing to the Camp David presidential retreat for the weekend.
The Houthi movement threatened a “strong and effective response” after the United States carried out another strike in Yemen overnight, further ratcheting up tensions as Washington vows to protect shipping from attacks by the Iran-aligned group.
Thousands attend pro-Palestine protest as police warn of crackdown on slogans
Saturday 13 January 2024 15:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of London on Saturday to march against the ongoing attacks in Gaza.
More than 1,700 police officers are on duty for the march that goes through central London to Westminster.
Two arrests have so far been made “in relation to offensive placards being carried”, the Metropolitan Police said, after protesters were warned that they face arrest if they “intentionally push the limit” on placards and slogans.
Thousands attend pro-Palestine protest as police warn of crackdown on slogans
Will the clash with the Houthi rebels lead to global conflict?
Saturday 13 January 2024 15:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Would the US and the UK be prepared to put boots on the ground in Yemen (as Boris Johnson proposed)? Will a prolonged air campaign be enough to paralyse the Iran-backed Houthis? There are many difficult questions left to answer over the Middle East’s latest hotspot, warns Kim Sengupta:
Will the clash with the Houthi rebels lead to global conflict?
UN envoy urges restraint over Yemen, region ‘increasingly precarious’
Saturday 13 January 2024 14:37 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The U.N. special envoy for Yemen on Saturday urged maximum restraint by all parties involved in Yemen and warned of an increasingly uncertain situation in the region.
The envoy, Hans Grundberg, “notes with serious concern the increasingly precarious regional context, and its adverse impact on peace efforts in Yemen and stability and security in the region,” he said in a statement.
Congresswoman says Biden is ‘violating Constitution’ with Yemen strikes
Saturday 13 January 2024 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said Joe Biden is “violating Article I of the Constitution by carrying out airstrikes in Yemen without congressional approval” in a post on X.
She added that Americans “are tired of endless war”.
.@POTUS is violating Article I of the Constitution by carrying out airstrikes in Yemen without congressional approval. The American people are tired of endless war.
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) January 12, 2024
Saturday 13 January 2024 13:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Houthi site damage before and after US-led airstrikes captured by satellite
In pictures: People protest the US strikes on Yemen at a rally in Seattle
Saturday 13 January 2024 13:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Protestors in Seattle, Washington held placards and banners demanding the US and UK “stop bombing Yemen” in a demonstration on Friday.
