Houthi rebels are not 'to be underestimated', ex-Navy chief warns

Ex US intelligence official expresses concern Iran is aiming to draw US into conflict

Representative Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat and former US intelligence official, welcomed the US strikes but expressed concern Iran was aiming to draw the US deeper into conflict.

Israel cargo ship ‘hijacked by Iran-backed militia’ in Red Sea with 52 on board

"We should be worried about regional escalation," Ms Slotkin wrote on X.

"Iran uses groups like the Houthis to fight their battles, maintain plausible deniability and prevent a direct conflict with the U.S. or others. ... It needs to stop, and my hope is they've gotten the message."

My statement on U.S. strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis: pic.twitter.com/rDzmR5hYTO

— Rep. Elissa Slotkin (@RepSlotkin) January 12, 2024

US Navy warns American-flagged vessels to stay away from Yemen for 72 hours

The US Navy has warned American-flagged vessels to stay out of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours after the US and Britain launched multiple air strikes targeting Houthi rebels.

Joe Biden calls airstrikes in Yemen a 'success' as protesters call him 'genocide Joe'

Protesters have been heard chanting "no vote for genocide Joe" while US President made an official visit to Allentown, Pennsylvania.

During the trip, in which his motorcade visited the Allentown Fire Training Academy, he issued a warning to rebels in Yemen, saying: "We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis as they continue this outrageous behaviour."

He also said the US was not in a proxy war with Iran, telling White House pool reporters: "Iran does not want a war with us."

The US president said he believed the Houthis were a terrorist group, despite his administration having revoke the designation a month into office.

Biden told reporters the retaliatory air strikes in Yemen were a "success" and said: "I don't think there are any civilian casualties."

A military spokesperson for the Houthi rebels has told media at least five people were killed and six wounded in the strikes, without specifying whether they were civilians.

US warship and multiple commercial ships attacked in Red Sea

US-UK militaries hit targets in nearly 30 locations in Yemen, says US official

US military official Lieutenant General Douglas Sims, the director of the Joint Staff, said the US and UK hit nearly 30 locations in Yemen using more than 150 munitions - higher figures than previously stated.

He told reporters the US did not expect a high number of casualties as some targets were in rural areas.

He said he expected the Houthis to attempt to retaliate and that they had fired an anti-ship ballistic missile today without success.

Protesters in Yemen chant 'America is the Devil'

Supporters of the Iran-backed rebel group Houthi have today flocked to the streets of Yemen capital Sanaa chanting "America is the Devil" following retaliatory airstrikes.

Yemenis in Sanna raised their guns in the air as Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi said: "We did not attack the shores of America, nor did we move in the American islands, nor did we attack them. Your strikes on our country are terrorism.

"They are terrorists and they are amazing at lying to the people of the world, but the awareness of the Yemeni people is a different awareness."

Yemeni demonstrators shout slogans during a protest following US and British forces strikes (AFP via Getty Images)

Downing Street says no further military strikes planned

Downing Street has said no further military strikes are planned but they will keep security plans under review following their strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Trudeau: 'Canada supports action taken by the United States'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his country “supports” the action taken by their neighbours, the United States.

The world leader was asked about his country’s involvement on the strikes in Yemen and started by describing the strikes on civilian vessels as “unacceptable”.

He told reporters in French: “They're contrary to international law, they're contrary to the UN charter. This is why members of the international community including Canada... have made a commitment to protect this region and this trade. Canada is supporting what has been done by the United States.”

Justin Truedeau has spoken out on the strikes (Canadian Press/REX/Shutterstock)

Kearns says strikes on Houthi rebels is the right thing to do

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Alicia Kearns MP, says strikes on Houthi rebels is the right thing to do.

She told GB News: "We have to be very careful about not letting ourselves be cowed by terrorist groups."

Asked why she felt the UK feels the need to be at the forefront of this military action alongside the US, she said: "The UK is one of the foremost maritime nations, we have one of the best royal navies in the world and we work in concert with our allies.

"The reality is it is a British Royal Navy warship that was attacked by the Houthis. It is one of the worst attacks on a British warship in decades.

"I think it is not only right that we are stepping forward but we also have the capability and the intelligence to be able to do so."

She went on to say: "I am proud the UK is stepping up to do so, because let's be clear, yes, the impact is taking place in the Red Sea but the impact of this maritime space being blocked up would be felt globally.

"The UK has the ability, it has the duty and I am proud that we are doing this. It is the right thing to do and we have the capability to do it."

UKMTO says it's received 'multiple reports' of small boats approaching ships

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency says it has received "multiple reports" of small boats approaching merchant ships near Yemen.

Two small boats are reported to have followed a vessel for over an hour, it said. No weapons were seen.

The "suspicious approach" happened in an area 80 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to the agency.

It comes after the UKMTO said it received a report of a missile being fired towards a vessel in a similar area (see 16.40 post), with no injuries or damage caused.

UKMTO WARNING 008/JAN/2024https://t.co/zHGNgQp1UB#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/KVYPsUT81Q

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) January 12, 2024

Yemen attacks and economic figures help lift FTSE index

The attack on Houthi forces by the US and UK militaries overnight and a better-than-expected economic performance for the country's economy were credited with lifting the FTSE 100 on Friday.

The index, which has so far had a poor start to the year, rose 48.34 points, or 0.64%, to end the day at 7,624.93.

It was a rise dominated by mining companies, top among them Endeavour Mining, which owns several gold mines across Africa.

Its performance was boosted by the uncertainty caused by the hostilities in the Middle East where US and UK planes struck dozens of targets in Yemen. That caused investors to put their money in assets which are considered safe, such as gold.

The Houthis had been striking ships going through the Red Sea on the way to the Suez Canal.

"Rising oil prices following the bombing of Houthi military targets by the US and UK in Yemen and a better-than-forecast expansion of month-on-month UK GDP growth helped the FTSE 100 to a positive close on Friday," said Axel Rudolph, senior market analyst at online trading platform IG.

The UK figures on Friday morning showed that gross domestic product rose 0.3% in November, higher than the 0.2% expected by economists.

Mr Rudolph added: "European equity indices also fared better than their US counterparts as these were dragged down by disappointing bank earnings and job cut announcements by Citibank on the first day of the fourth quarter earnings season.

"They recovered amid an unexpected fall in US producer prices, though."

At the end of the day in Europe Frankfurt's Dax index rose 0.95%, while the Cac 40 in Paris had closed up 1.05%.

In New York a little while after markets had closed in Europe the S&P 500 was trading down 0.16%, while the Dow Jones was 0.56% lower.

On currency markets the pound was trading 0.18% lower against the dollar at 1.2738 and had dropped 0.04% against the euro at 1.1628.

In company news it was a bad day for Burberry with shares down 5.66% on the news that a slowdown in demand got worse in December.

The business slashed its profit forecast for the year as it said that revenue dropped 7% in the last three months of the year.

Meanwhile Vistry, a housebuilder, said it had built 16,124 new homes last year, down 5.4% from 2022.

It said pre-tax profit would be somewhere close to £418 million, more than previously thought. Shares closed up 0.36%.

The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Endeavour Mining, up 54p to 1,479p, JD Sports, up 4.15p to 114.45p, Fresnillo, up 15.8p to 533.4p, Antofagasta, up 48p to 1,636p, and Rolls-Royce, up 8p to 305p.

The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Burberry, down 75p to 1,285.5p, IAG, down 4.25p to 144.35p, Centrica, down 2.35p to 150p, Informa, down 11p to 754.6p, and Ocado, down 9.2p to 652.2p.

Ex British Navy chief warns about underestimating Houthi

Admiral Lord West, a former British Navy chief, said of the US-UK strkes on Houthi targets: "I find it quite bizarre that the Houthis are saying 'we're now going to respond and cause damage', when actually over the past few months they've been attacking innocent shipping and attacking our warships again and again."

Speaking to Sky News, he added there were a number of clear warnings, which the US and UK had to follow through on.

"I think it's appropriate we've done this - it shows that we are taking it very seriously."

He said he has "no doubt" that the Houthi group will continue strikes on shipping despite the strikes and said "they are tough" in part due to their support from Iran, when asked how formidable an enemy they could prove.

"They've done very well in terms of fighting within Yemen against the government there and even when the Saudis effectively had a mini-war against them, they held their own," he continued.

"I certainly wouldn't underestimate them."

Demonstrators burn US and Israeli flags during Yemen rally

Demonstrators in Yemen's capital Sanaa have been pictured burning US and Israeli flags today.

Huge crowds have gathered in the city - described as larger than regular mass rallies since the start of the Israel-Hamas war - in support of Palestinians and Gaza.

Yemeni demonstrators set ablaze an Israeli and a US flag during a protest (AFP via Getty Images)

White House continuing 'battle damage assessment' after airstrikes, says spokesman

White House national security spokesman John Kirby says attacks on Houthi are all "valid, legitimate military targets".

He has been speaking on board Air Force One where he's been taking questions from reporters.

He said "battle damage assessment" is still being carried out which could take hours to get the full picture of the strikes' impact.

Asked if President Joe Biden is ready for a war in Yemen, and whether he would send in ground troops, Kirby said: "We're not interested in a war with Yemen. We're not interested in a conflict of any kind here."

He added everything is being done to de-escalate the situation.

Kirby said there have been no economic impacts as a result of the strikes.

Asked if the US views the Houthis as a terrorist organisation, he said: "No decisions have been made yet."

He noted that the Houthis were previously de-listed from the Foreign Terrorist Organizations list.

Kirby added the US won't "hesitate to take further action" if necessary.

"The Houthis are the ones that escalated here," he says. "They have a choice to make."

Vessel was 'mistakenly targeted' due to 'outdated' information linking it to UK

British maritime security firm Ambrey told Sky News a Panama-flagged tanker was fired at.

The tanker, which was carrying Russian oil, was "mistakenly targeted" based on "outdated" information linking it to the UK, it said.

Missile 'fired towards vessel' south of Yemen hours after UK and US launch airstikes

A missile has reportedly been fired at a vessel off the coast of Yemen hours after the US and UK launched airstrikes on Houthi rebel military bases.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations has received a report on Friday afternoon of a missile attack 90 miles off the coast of Aden, Yemen.

The Royal Navy initiative, that provides information on security incidents to shipping operators, said the missile landed between 400-500 metres away from the Master ship being followed by three craft.

The ship reported no injuries or damage and was proceeding to the next port of call, as vessels were advised to “transit with caution”.

Click here to read the full story

UKMTO WARNING 007/JAN/2024 UPDATE 001https://t.co/6a9TLpaLrg#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/eZIBRlsLSo

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) January 12, 2024

Yousaf insists UK Parliament should have been recalled before military strikes launched

Humza Yousaf has insisted the UK Parliament should have been recalled before military strikes were launched against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Scottish First Minister said MPs "should have had their say" before "action as serious as military intervention took place".

He also challenged the UK Government to produce legal evidence in support of the military strikes.

UK ministers have published a summary of the legal position on the strikes, which states action was "lawfully taken" and was "the only feasible means available to deal with such attacks".

But Mr Yousaf said he wants to see "not just a summary" but the "evidence of the legal basis" for the action.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Yousaf was clear "Houthi attacks in the Red Sea must stop", and he called for a UN Security Council resolution on the violence to be adhered to.

Houthi rebels 'eager to take US on' and escalate conflict after missile strikes

The Houthi rebels are "eager to take the US directly on" with retaliation to US and UK missiles strikes which could cause a "5% increase in inflation" and escalation in the region, an expert has warned.

Professor of International Relations at the University of Essex, Natasha Lindstaedt exclusively told The Mirror that more attacks could happen and it might lead to "tit-for-tat" fights.

She said: "I see a tit-for-tat taking place in the Red Sea, with shipping having to divert and possible US and UK targets in the Middle East targeted by the Houthis, with the US and the UK responding."

Click here to read the full story

Terrifying moment Yemen is hit by missiles from the US and UK (sky news)

Map shows where the airstrikes on Yemen were carried out

A map showing the Yemen air strikes (Press Association Images)

How did the war in Yemen start?

The 2011 Arab Spring sent shock waves of violent insurrection throughout the Middle East and trouble in Yemen forced its ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down after 30 years.

He was replaced by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, under an agreement brokered by the US. The Houthis objected and in 2014 toppled Hadi’s government. Saudi Arabia stepped in, backing Hadi, in 2015 and Britain has, along with others, sold weapons to the Saudis.

Yemen has descended into brutal civil war with a mass humanitarian nightmare and accusations of bombing atrocities by the Saudis. The UK has been accused of being complicit since some weapons used come from the UK.

Why are they attacking Western shipping? Houthis launched missile attacks against Israel soon after the October 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel and announced it was “in support of our oppressed brothers in Palestine,.” They vowed to continue the attacks until Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza stopped.

Read more here.

Airstrikes 'will not go unanswered or unpunished' say Houthis

Yemen's Houthi rebels have vowed fierce retaliation for American and British strikes against them, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.

The Houthis' military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the strikes will "not go unanswered or unpunished".

He said strikes on regions of Yemen under their control killed five and wounded six from the rebels' military forces. It remained unclear how extensive the damage was, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, were attacked.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas.

But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperilling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.

Timeline shows exact moment RAF Typhoons bombed Houthi rebels

British RAF Typhoon jets took out Houthi strongholds with precision overnight and here is the timeline from leaving their Cyprus base.

7.30pm - RAF Typhoon jets took off with the Voyager aircraft at their Akrotiri base in Cyprus. They were able to refuel en-route to Yemen from the Voyager.

11.30pm - The jets having reached position less than 10 miles from the Houthi sites released their bombs. The planes are expected to have been at around 35,000 feet when they released the bombs and then headed back to Cyprus.

3am - After refueling again en-route they returned back to their base in Cyprus in the middle of the night. The Houthis have since said that there were five militants killed and six injured.

Click here to read the full story

US-UK airstrikes will 'definitely' lead to escalation in region, says Iranian professor

There will "definitely be escalation" in the region in light of the US-UK strikes in Yemen, an Iranian professor has predicted.

Seyed Mohammad Marandi, of the University of Tehran, told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "I think that what the British and American governments have done - and the British Government doesn't really play a role, they just want to be in the good books of Washington - but what they have done is that they have created greater instability in the Red Sea."

Asked whether Iran will ask its other proxies to help the Houthis, he said: "Iran doesn't dictate terms to any of its allies. The government in Yemen, they make their own decisions. Hezbollah makes its own decision. But Iran will support them."

He said Iranians see the US-led military action "as support for the genocide in Gaza".

"The United States and the British Government want to empower the Israeli regime so that they can carry on with what they're doing to the people of Gaza."

Cameron stands by strikes and said the 'escalation has been caused by the Houthis'

Strikes on Yemen 'not part of Israel-Hamas conflict,' says Pentagon

Strikes by the US and British militaries against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen are not part of the Israel-Hamas conflict, Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman has said.

However, rebels say they have targeted ships in the Red Sea to avenge Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperilling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.

Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to calm tensions in the Middle East for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.

Brigadier General Ryder told CBS: “You have the Houthi rebels that are conducting industry attacks against international shipping - over 50 countries have been affected by this, affecting the economic prosperity of multiple nations. So this is not part of the Israel-Hamas conflict.”

Czech president endorses the US-UK strikes

Czech president Petr Pavel, a former top NATO general, has endorsed the strikes.

Posting on social media, Pavel said: “The provocative and dangerous Houthi attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea can no longer be tolerated. The military action of our allies is a necessary step to prevent mounting tension in the region and to restore safe international trade passage.”

UK rejects criticism that strikes were 'disproportionate'

The UK prime minister's office has dismissed criticism from Turkey's Erdogan that the British and American strikes on the Houthis were excessive.

A spokeswoman for the prime minister called them "limited and targeted strikes in response to aggression".

She added that they may not make much difference now, but would have a "positive effect" in the longer term in protecting shipping activity in the Red Sea.

BREAKING Sunak says UK needs to send a “strong signal” to Houthi rebels

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the UK needs to send a “strong signal” that Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea are wrong and cannot be carried out with “impunity”.

“We’ve carried out a series of strikes together with allies, which will we believe degrade and disrupt the capability.

“The types of things that we’ve targeted are launch sites for missiles and for drones. Initial indications are that those strikes have been successful. We’ll continue to monitor the situation.

“But it’s clear that this type of behaviour can’t be met without a response. We need to send a strong signal that this breach of international law is wrong. People can’t act like this with impunity and that’s why together with allies we’ve decided to take this action.”

Oil prices rise after strikes

Oil prices have risen 4%, with the attacks compounding market concerns over the broader conflict in the region.

A barrel of Brent crude is currently at $80.55 (£63.31).

Transit through the Red Sea, from the Suez Canal to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, is a crucial shipping lane for global commerce. About 12% of the world’s trade typically passes through the waterway that separates Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including oil, natural gas, grain and everything from toys to electronics.

"If a large part of Strait of Hormuz flows were to be halted, it would present up to three times the impact of the 1970s oil price shocks and over double the impact of the Ukraine war on gas markets, atop already fragile supply chains and stock levels," Saul Kavonic, an energy analyst at MST Marquee told Sky News.

Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking ships in the Red Sea?

The Houthis - a militia group backed by Iran - have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war back in October. Last night the British and American militaries bombed multiple sites in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, killing at least five fighters.

Why are the Houthis attacking shipping?

The Houthis are an Iran-backed sworn enemy of Israel and they are reacting to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Attacks have escalated in recent weeks and are having a devastating result on international maritime trade.

Who are the Houthis?

Houthis are a rebel Shia Muslim group who seized control of Yemen’s capital Sana’a in 2014, sparking a vicious civil war. Houthis are backed by Iran and are used by Tehran as a proxy force against the Saudis and other enemies. They are believed to have been trained by Iranian groups and Lebanese Hezbollah, who are also trained by Iran.

Why is the UK the only European country joining the US in attacks?

British RAF teams have a long history of working alongside their US counterparts and this was an extremely complex operation, involving sea and air attacks, with the possibility of something going wrong. The UK is part of a 13 nation mission to protect western shipping in the Red Sea. Nevertheless there are claims Italy turned the US down, blaming its parliamentary process as being too slow to get approval for their involvement.

Read more on the reason for the conflict with the Houthis here.

(AFP via Getty Images)

British and US face 'riskier terrain' if Houthis continue to attack ships, says expert

Intensified attacks on ships in the Red Sea by the Houthis in response to airstrikes could push the US and UK into "areas that they're not going to feel very comfortable with", a foreign policy expert has said.

The Western allies' emphasis on the airstrikes being targeted, limited and contained "is partly in an effort to prevent a further escalation of the conflict", said Sophia Gaston, head of foreign policy at the think tank Policy Exchange.

"Should the Houthis scale up their attacks and the aftermath of these strikes, I think we are going to get fairly quickly to a position where the Western powers could be pushed into areas that they're not going to feel very comfortable with.

"We are moving into a much riskier terrain because the United States and the United Kingdom certainly do not want to be in a situation where we are required to engage beyond a limited targeted strike capacity and certainly not one that may invite the participation of other regional powers."