UK and US bomb Houthi rebels in Yemen air strikes – latest

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The Pentagon provides updates on Houthi ship attacks in Red Sea

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The US and the UK have launched scores of airstrikes against targets linked to the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen, in a coordinated overnight assault using allied aircraft, ships and submarines.

Rishi Sunak and US president Joe Biden both issued statements in which they condemned the “reckless actions” of the Houthi group that has targeted dozens of international cargo ships in the Red Sea, a major artery of world commerce, since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.

Huge explosions were seen in Yemeni cities including Sanaa 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.

Three weeks ago the US launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a concerted effort to protect international shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks.

Late on Thursday, Mr Sunak held an emergency cabinet meeting, amid speculation the UK would launch strikes.

Following reports from the cabinet meeting, opposition MPs had called for a recall of Parliament before the UK took military action.

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‘Clearly Houthi attacks have to be dealt with,’ says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has said he supports targeted strikes against Houthi rebels but called for a statement in parliament “at the first opportunity”.

Asked if the military action has his support, the Labour leader told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Yes it does. The government briefed me in a Cobra secure briefing last night about the action that was going to be taken that now has been taken.

“Clearly the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have to be dealt with, their attacks on commercial shipping, attacks on important trade routes and putting civilian lives at risk and therefore, we do support this action.

“I do think there needs to be a statement in Parliament, which isn’t sitting today so it’s for the government to make sure there’s a statement in Parliament as soon as possible at the first opportunity, to set out the justification, to set out the limits and scope of the operation.

“I also want to see a summary of the government’s legal position published as soon as possible, and I would hope that that can be published today.”

Andy Gregory12 January 2024 08:081705046580

Watch: Royal Navy is underfunded, warns shadow defence secretary

Royal Navy 'underfunded', says shadow defence secretary as UK strikes against HouthisAndy Gregory12 January 2024 08:031705046058

Houthi strikes ‘necessary’ and ‘inevitable', says Blair-era national security adviser

Lord Ricketts, a crossbench peer who served as the UK’s first national security adviser under Tony Blair, has said targeted strikes against Houthi rebels are “necessary” and “inevitable”.

“I think it became inevitable when the clear warnings that the US and UK and others had put out over weeks were ignored by the Houthis,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“And I think the final straw was that very complex and dangerous attack on the naval task force itself a couple of nights ago, I think at that point they couldn’t allow this to continue.

“It’s already having a major disruptive effect on this big maritime artery which carries 20% of all the world’s container traffic, as well as a lot of oil and gas exports, and therefore I think this attack was necessary, I think it was inevitable.

“I think they’ve tried to make it large enough to send a very powerful message, but equally being clear it’s targeted against the attacks on shipping, it’s not a declaration of war against the Houthis more generally.”

Andy Gregory12 January 2024 07:541705044537

RAF Typhoon jets take off from Cyprus to conduct ‘targeted strikes’ in Yemen

The Royal Air Force has launched strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen, with Rishi Sunak saying the UK will “always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade”, reports my colleague Oliver Browning.

It marks the first time strikes have been launched against the group since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea late last year, and it vowed there would be retaliation.

RAF Typhoon jets take off from Cyprus to conduct strikes against military targets in YemenAndy Gregory12 January 2024 07:281705042800

Red Sea crisis: Which UK ships have been deployed to the area?

The Government is considering strikes on targets in Yemen in a bid to stop attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held an emergency cabinet meeting on Thursday night as the situation appeared to escalate.

A British warship joined three US ships and a French vessel last month in a bid to protect the ships in narrow strip of water between Yemen and east Africa, which is a key trade route, but the attacks have continued.

Here, we look at what ships have been deployed and which others may be sent there following Thursday night’s developments.

Read the full article here

Red Sea crisis: Which UK ships have been deployed to the area?

UK government is considering striking land targets in Yemen in a bid to stop attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on ships

Mike Bedigan12 January 2024 07:001705042746

In pictures: First images of Typhoon jets used in strikes

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar12 January 2024 06:591705042548

Tory MP raises concern over Britain-US joint strike on Yemen

Senior Tory Neil O’Brien on Friday said he was “not necessarily” against the joint military action against the Houthi rebels in Yemen but that the UK’s “main interventions of the last 25 years have been failures”.

“What counts as success? Realistically, how far would we need to go to achieve this? How will we avoid being dragged into something we don’t want,” he asked.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar12 January 2024 06:551705041767

Joint Statement from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, UK and US

“Recognising the broad consensus as expressed by 44 countries around the world on December 19, 2023, as well as the statement by the UN Security Council on December 1, 2023, condemning Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea, our governments issued a joint statement on January 3, 2024, which called for the immediate end of illegal attacks and warned that malign actors would be held accountable should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and the free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.

Despite this strong warning, attacks in the Red Sea have continued, including the launch of numerous missiles and one-way attack aerial vehicles against ships in the Red Sea on January 9, 2024, including U.S. and UK vessels. On January 10, 2024, the UN Security Council passed UNSCR 2722, which also condemned these attacks and demanded that they cease.

In response to continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilising Houthi attacks against vessels, including commercial shipping, transiting the Red Sea, the armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from the Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain, and Australia, conducted joint strikes in accordance with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence, consistent with the UN Charter, against a number of targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. These precision strikes were intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of international mariners in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

The Houthis’ more than two dozen attacks on commercial vessels since mid-November constitute an international challenge. Today’s action demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.

Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let our message be clear: we will not hesitate to defend lives and ensure the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar12 January 2024 06:421705041293

What is Operation Prosperity Guardian?

The US last month announced the establishment of “Operation Prosperity Guardian” – a multinational security initiative to bring stability to the Red Sea amid attacks on Israel-linked vessels by the Houthi rebel group.

The operation brings together the US, UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain to jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement on 18 December.

The US and Britain launched a joint military attack on Thursday, targeting the Houthis across 16 locations.

The Houthis have attacked 27 ships to date, disrupting international commerce on the key route between Europe and Asia that accounts for about 15 per cent of the world’s shipping traffic, Reuters reported.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar12 January 2024 06:341705040852

Russia calls for urgent UN Security Council meeting

Russia said it had requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday to discuss military strikes on Yemen by the US and Britain.

"Russia has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on January 12 in connection with the U.S. and UK strikes on Yemen," Russia's permanent mission to the UN said.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar12 January 2024 06:27NewerOlder✕

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