Yemeni Armed Forces' spokesperson Yahya Saree said that the port of Eilat in the allegedly Israel-occupied territories with several cruise missiles.
Tag: Yemen
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Yemen Appoints Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak As Country’s New Prime Minister. world news
SANAA: In a surprise move, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, Yemen’s foreign minister, has been appointed as the country’s new Prime Minister, according to Al Jazeera. Yemen, a nation in the Arabian Peninsula, is experiencing increased tensions as a result of a wave of Red Sea attacks on ships by Houthi rebels, which have triggered retaliatory strikes by the United States and the United Kingdom recently.
Bin Mubarak has notably replaced Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed amid the escalation of tensions in the Red Sea. Bin Mubarak was named premier of Yemen on Monday, according to a decision issued by the country’s Presidential Leadership Council, which was reported by the official news agency of the country. The former prime minister was given the position of presidential adviser, Al Jazeera reported.
However, there is no clarity on why the move was made. Former Yemeni ambassador to the US, Bin Mubarak, is widely viewed as a fierce opponent of the Houthi rebels, according to Al Jazeera. He first gained prominence in 2015 when, amid a power struggle with then-President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, he was abducted by the Houthis while serving as Yemen’s presidential chief of staff.
The seizure of bin Mubarak contributed to the political unrest in Yemen, which led to hostilities between the Houthis and Hadi’s presidential guards and the resignation of the government and the president.
In 2018, Bin Mubarak was also designated as the country’s representative to the United Nations. The Houthi rebels, who are an Iran-aligned group, started the strikes in retaliation for Israel’s Gaza conflict. The Houthis have said that they will not stop attacking until Israel ends the hostilities in Gaza.
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US, UK Launch Strikes Targeting Iran-Linked Houthis In Yemen | world news
Washington: The United States and Britain launched strikes against 36 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, in the second day of major US operations against Iran-linked groups following a deadly attack on American troops last weekend.
The strikes hit buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems, launchers and other capabilities the Houthis have used to attack Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon said, adding it targeted 13 locations across the country.
It was the latest sign of spreading conflict in the Middle East since war erupted between Israel and Hamas after the militant Palestinian group’s deadly assault on Israel on Oct.7.
“This collective action sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will continue to bear further consequences if they do not end their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
The Yemen strikes are running parallel to an unfolding US campaign of military retaliation over the killing of three American soldiers in a drone strike by Iran-backed militants on an outpost in Jordan.
On Friday, the US carried out the first wave of that retaliation, striking in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and militias it backs, reportedly killing nearly 40 people.
While Washington accuses Iran-backed militias of attacking US troops at bases in Iraq, Syria and Jordan, Yemen’s Iran-linked Houthis have been regularly targeting commercial ships and warships in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza. But the US and its allies characterize them as indiscriminate and a threat to global trade.
Faced with mounting Red Sea violence, major shipping lines have largely abandoned the critical trade route for longer routes around Africa. This has increased costs, feeding worries about global inflation while sapping Egypt of crucial foreign revenue from shippers sailing the Suez Canal to or from the Red Sea.
The US has carried out more than a dozen strikes against Houthi targets in the past several weeks, but these have failed to stop attacks by the group.
Just hours before the latest major wave of strikes from the sea and air, the US military’s Central Command issued statements detailing other, more limited strikes in the past day that included hitting six cruise missiles the Houthis were preparing to launch against ships in the Red Sea.
“This is not an escalation,” said British Defense Minister Grant Shapps. “We have already successfully targeted launchers and storage sites involved in Houthi attacks, and I am confident that our latest strikes have further degraded the Houthis’ capabilities.”
The United States said Sunday’s strikes had support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The US military’s Central Command said that beyond missile capabilities, the strikes targeted drone storage and operations sites, radars and helicopters.
Despite the strikes against Iran-linked groups, the Pentagon has said it does not want war with Iran and does not believe Tehran wants war either. US Republicans have been ratcheting up pressure on Democratic President Joe Biden to deal a blow to Iran directly.
It was unclear how Tehran would respond to the strikes, which do not directly target Iran but degrade groups it backs.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in a statement the attacks in Iraq and Syria represented “another adventurous and strategic mistake by the United States that will result only in increased tension and instability”.
Iraq summoned the US charge d’affaires in Baghdad to deliver a formal protest after strikes in that country.
The Houthi-run Yemeni News Agency (Saba) said the US and Britain launched 14 raids on Saturday on the governorates of Taiz and Hodeidah.
Eleven of the attacks targeted the Al-Barah area in the Maqbanah District and areas in the Haifan District, a security source told the news agency. The other three attacks targeted Jabal Al-Jada’ in Al-Lahiya District and the Al-Salif District in Al-Hudaydah Governorate.
Biden’s emerging strategy on Yemen aims to weaken the Houthi militants but stops well short of trying to defeat the group or directly address Iran, the Houthis’ main sponsor, experts say.
The strategy blends limited military strikes and sanctions, and appears aimed at punishing the Houthis while limiting the risk of a wider Middle East conflict.
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US Destroys Three Houthi Missiles In Red Sea; Biden dials Netanyahu world news
As the Houthi militants continue to attack cargo ships in the Red Sea, the United States forces have also been carrying out retaliatory actions. In a fresh round of attack against the Houthis, the US destroyed three anti-ship missiles in the Red Sea. It was the fourth preemptive action taken by the US military. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden also dialed Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
US Destroys Houthi Missiles
The US Central Command informed that the attack was carried out at around 6:45 pm (Sanaa time). “As part of ongoing efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on maritime vessels, US Navy ships are present in the Red Sea. On Jan. 19 at approximately 6:45 pm (Sanaa time), US Central Command forces conducted strikes against three Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed into the Southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch,” the US Central Command posted on X.
It added that the US forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region. “US forces subsequently struck and destroyed the missiles in self-defense. This action will make international waters safe and secure for US Navy vessels and merchant vessels,” it added.
US CENTCOM Destroys Three Houthi Terrorists’ Anti-Ship Missiles
As part of ongoing efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on maritime vessels, US Navy ships are present in the Red Sea. On Jan. 19 at approximately 6:45 pm (Sanaa time), US Central… pic.twitter.com/vPYUaIvvA5 — US Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 19, 2024
Before this incident, US forces had conducted airstrikes targeting 14 Houthi missiles that were poised for launch in areas controlled by the Houthis in Yemen on Thursday. The Houthi group had previously been reclassified by the US as a “terrorist” organization. The Houthis, aligned with the Palestinian armed group Hamas, initiated their attacks in retaliation to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Biden Calls Netanyahu
Biden called Netanyahu after nearly a month and reiterated his vision of a ‘two-state solution’ while guaranteeing Israel’s security. The US President also addressed the current initiatives to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas and assessed the situation in Gaza.
The White House also issued a statement in this regard saying, “The President and Prime Minister discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas. The President and the Prime Minister reviewed the situation in Gaza and the shift to targeted operations.” that will enable the flow of increasing amounts of humanitarian assistance while keeping the military pressure on Hamas and its leaders.”
President Biden also emphasized Israel’s responsibility to reduce civilian harm and protect the innocent. “The President discussed Israel’s responsibility even as it maintains military pressure on Hamas and its leaders to reduce civilian harm and protect the innocent. The President also discussed his vision for a more durable peace and security for Israel fully integrated within the region and a two- state solution with Israel’s security guaranteed,” the statement added.