Dems rip Biden for launching Houthi strikes without congressional approval
- Thread starter binsfeldcyhawk2
- Start date
The Hamas caucus is pissed.
A group of progressive Democratic lawmakers on Thursday responded furiously to President Joe Biden’s move to launch retaliatory strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen without first seeking congressional approval.
The strikes marked the first major U.S. military response to the group’s ongoing attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
The Biden administration justified the joint strikes with the United Kingdom, supported by the Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain, and Australia, as conducted “in accordance with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense, consistent with the UN Charter.”
Lawmakers argued that the move violated Article 1 of the Constitution, which requires military action to be authorized by Congress. Biden notified Congress but did not request its approval.
“This is an unacceptable violation of the Constitution,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who chairs the Progressive Caucus, wrote on social media.
Progressives Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) echoed Jayapal, decrying “endless war” and labeling Biden’s actions unconstitutional.
“The President needs to come to Congress before launching a strike against the Houthis in Yemen and involving us in another middle east conflict. That is Article I of the Constitution. I will stand up for that regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican is in the White House,” said California Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on X, formerly known as Twitter. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) retweeted Khanna.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) responded to Khanna’s post in agreement, writing that ”the Constitution matters, regardless of party affiliation.” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), also praised Khanna’s “principles” in a social media post. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said that he was open to striking Yemen, but questioned why the decision had not been made by Congress.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc) also demanded the White House work with Congress before continuing the strikes. “The United States cannot risk getting entangled into another decades-long conflict without Congressional authorization,” he wrote in a post on social media.
Some Republicans, meanwhile, couched their praise of the strikes in broader criticism of the administration.
Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement that he welcomed the U.S. strikes, writing that the use of force was “overdue.”
“I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies. To restore deterrence and change Iran’s calculus, Iranian leaders themselves must believe that they will pay a meaningful price unless they abandon their worldwide campaign of terror,” McConnell added.
Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Sen. Roger Wicker, (R-Miss), said in a statement: “This strike was two months overdue, but it is a good first step toward restoring deterrence in the Red Sea. I appreciate that the administration took the advice of our regional commanders and targeted critical nodes within Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory.”
“Terrorists know only the language of force and it is about time the administration acted on that fact. This action should have been taken weeks ago,” said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Biden must now act every day to end the ability of Houthi forces and all Iran-back terrorists to attack the US and our partners,” he added.
Iowa senator and veteran Joni Ernst also called the action “overdue” and wrote that “Iran-backed Houthis should never have been emboldened to wreak havoc on U.S. troops and global commerce.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he was “very supportive” of the decision, adding that “the only language radical Islamic groups understand is force. I hope the Biden Administration understands that their deterrence policy has completely failed.”
Dems rip Biden for launching Houthi strikes without congressional approval
Some Republicans, meanwhile, couched their praise of the strikes in broader criticism of the administration's foreign policy actions.www.politico.com
On Saturday, the Pentagon announced that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is still hospitalized following a prostatectomy.
Are they actually chanting “get a real job”?
Self awareness isn’t a strong suit of the Pro Hamas folks…
I'm sure the FBI is all over this, and we'll be seeing massive arrests and convictions.
https://abcnews.go.com
By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
January 14, 2024, 9:44 PM
JERUSALEM -- Houthi rebels fired a missile, striking a U.S.-owned ship Monday just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, less than a day after they launched an anti-ship cruise missile toward an American destroyer in the Red Sea, officials said.
The attack on the Gibraltar Eagle, though not immediately claimed by the Houthis, further escalates tensions gripping the Red Sea after American-led strikes on the rebels. The Houthis' attacks have roiled global shipping, amid Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, targeting a crucial corridor linking Asian and Mideast energy and cargo shipments to the Suez Canal onward to Europe.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which oversees Mideast waters, said Monday's attack happened some 110 miles (177 kilometers) miles southeast of Aden. It said the ship’s captain reported that the “port side of vessel hit from above by a missile.”
Private security firms Ambrey and Dryad Global told The Associated Press that the vessel was the Eagle Gibraltar, a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier. The U.S. military's Central Command later acknowledged the strike, blaming the Houthis for the assault.
“The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey,” Central Command said.
The vessel is owned by Eagle Bulk Shipping, a Stamford, Connecticut-based firm traded on the New York Stock Exchange. In a statement to the AP, the company acknowledged the strike and said it caused “limited damage to a cargo hold but (the ship) is stable and is heading out of the area.”
“All seafarers onboard the vessel are confirmed to be uninjured,” the firm said. “The vessel is carrying a cargo of steel products. Eagle Bulk management is in close contact with all relevant authorities concerning this matter.”
Satellite-tracking data analyzed by the AP showed the Eagle Gibraltar had been bound for the Suez Canal, but rapidly turned around at the time of the attack.
Central Command said it detected a separate anti-ship ballistic missile launch toward the southern Red Sea on Monday, though it ”failed in flight and impacted on land in Yemen."
The U.S. Maritime Administration, under the Transportation Department, also issued a warning Monday saying there continues to be “a high degree of risk to commercial vessels” traveling near Yemen.
“While the decision to transit remains at the discretion of individual vessels and companies, it is recommended that U.S. flag and U.S.-owned commercial vessels” stay away from Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden “until further notice,” the advisory said.
Sunday's missile launch toward the American warship also marked the first U.S.-acknowledged fire by the Houthis since America and allied nations began strikes Friday on the rebels following weeks of assaults on shipping in the Red Sea.
The Houthi fire in the direction of the USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer operating in the southern reaches of the Red Sea, Central Command said.
The missile came from near Hodeida, a Red Sea port city long held by the Houthis, the U.S. said.
“An anti-ship cruise missile was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon,” Central Command said. “There were no injuries or damage reported."
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge that attack either.
It wasn’t presently clear whether the U.S. would retaliate for the latest attacks, though President Joe Biden has said he “will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
The first day of U.S.-led strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets with cruise missiles and bombs launched by fighter jets, warships and a submarine. Sites hit included weapon depots, radars and command centers, including in remote mountain areas, the U.S. has said.
The Houthis have yet to acknowledge how severe the damage was from the strikes, which they said killed five of their troops and wounded six others.
U.S. forces followed up with a strike Saturday on a Houthi radar site.
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, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade.
Even the leader of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, Hassan Nasrallah, obliquely referenced the widening Houthi attacks on ships in a speech Sunday, saying that “the sea has become a battlefield of missiles, drones and warships” and blaming the U.S. strikes for escalating maritime tensions.
“The most dangerous thing is what the Americans did in the Red Sea, (it) will harm the security of all maritime navigation,” Nasrallah said.
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 in the Red Sea threaten to ignite one.
It's also affecting shipping for the Middle East nation of Qatar, one of the world's top natural gas suppliers. Three liquid natural gas tankers that had recently loaded in Qatar and were bound for the Suez Canal remain idling off Oman, while another coming from Europe to Qatar remains off Saudi Arabia. QatarEnergy and government officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting, sought to distance itself from the attacks on Houthi sites as it tries to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen that began in 2015 has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.
The American military did not specifically say the fire targeted the Laboon, following a pattern by the U.S. since the Houthi attacks began. However, U.S. sailors have received combat ribbons for their actions in the Red Sea — something handed out only to those who face active hostilities with an enemy force.
A missile fired by Houthis strikes a US-owned vessel off Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, raising tensions
Houthi rebels fired a missile, striking a U.S.-owned ship Monday just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of AdenBy JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
January 14, 2024, 9:44 PM
JERUSALEM -- Houthi rebels fired a missile, striking a U.S.-owned ship Monday just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, less than a day after they launched an anti-ship cruise missile toward an American destroyer in the Red Sea, officials said.
The attack on the Gibraltar Eagle, though not immediately claimed by the Houthis, further escalates tensions gripping the Red Sea after American-led strikes on the rebels. The Houthis' attacks have roiled global shipping, amid Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, targeting a crucial corridor linking Asian and Mideast energy and cargo shipments to the Suez Canal onward to Europe.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which oversees Mideast waters, said Monday's attack happened some 110 miles (177 kilometers) miles southeast of Aden. It said the ship’s captain reported that the “port side of vessel hit from above by a missile.”
Private security firms Ambrey and Dryad Global told The Associated Press that the vessel was the Eagle Gibraltar, a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier. The U.S. military's Central Command later acknowledged the strike, blaming the Houthis for the assault.
“The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey,” Central Command said.
The vessel is owned by Eagle Bulk Shipping, a Stamford, Connecticut-based firm traded on the New York Stock Exchange. In a statement to the AP, the company acknowledged the strike and said it caused “limited damage to a cargo hold but (the ship) is stable and is heading out of the area.”
“All seafarers onboard the vessel are confirmed to be uninjured,” the firm said. “The vessel is carrying a cargo of steel products. Eagle Bulk management is in close contact with all relevant authorities concerning this matter.”
Satellite-tracking data analyzed by the AP showed the Eagle Gibraltar had been bound for the Suez Canal, but rapidly turned around at the time of the attack.
Central Command said it detected a separate anti-ship ballistic missile launch toward the southern Red Sea on Monday, though it ”failed in flight and impacted on land in Yemen."
The U.S. Maritime Administration, under the Transportation Department, also issued a warning Monday saying there continues to be “a high degree of risk to commercial vessels” traveling near Yemen.
“While the decision to transit remains at the discretion of individual vessels and companies, it is recommended that U.S. flag and U.S.-owned commercial vessels” stay away from Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden “until further notice,” the advisory said.
Sunday's missile launch toward the American warship also marked the first U.S.-acknowledged fire by the Houthis since America and allied nations began strikes Friday on the rebels following weeks of assaults on shipping in the Red Sea.
The Houthi fire in the direction of the USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer operating in the southern reaches of the Red Sea, Central Command said.
The missile came from near Hodeida, a Red Sea port city long held by the Houthis, the U.S. said.
“An anti-ship cruise missile was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon,” Central Command said. “There were no injuries or damage reported."
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge that attack either.
It wasn’t presently clear whether the U.S. would retaliate for the latest attacks, though President Joe Biden has said he “will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
The first day of U.S.-led strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets with cruise missiles and bombs launched by fighter jets, warships and a submarine. Sites hit included weapon depots, radars and command centers, including in remote mountain areas, the U.S. has said.
The Houthis have yet to acknowledge how severe the damage was from the strikes, which they said killed five of their troops and wounded six others.
U.S. forces followed up with a strike Saturday on a Houthi radar site.
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, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade.
Even the leader of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, Hassan Nasrallah, obliquely referenced the widening Houthi attacks on ships in a speech Sunday, saying that “the sea has become a battlefield of missiles, drones and warships” and blaming the U.S. strikes for escalating maritime tensions.
“The most dangerous thing is what the Americans did in the Red Sea, (it) will harm the security of all maritime navigation,” Nasrallah said.
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 in the Red Sea threaten to ignite one.
It's also affecting shipping for the Middle East nation of Qatar, one of the world's top natural gas suppliers. Three liquid natural gas tankers that had recently loaded in Qatar and were bound for the Suez Canal remain idling off Oman, while another coming from Europe to Qatar remains off Saudi Arabia. QatarEnergy and government officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting, sought to distance itself from the attacks on Houthi sites as it tries to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen that began in 2015 has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.
The American military did not specifically say the fire targeted the Laboon, following a pattern by the U.S. since the Houthi attacks began. However, U.S. sailors have received combat ribbons for their actions in the Red Sea — something handed out only to those who face active hostilities with an enemy force.
Shocked that Binsland14 hasn't post this. Mia Khalifa is facing backlash over her pro Houthi comments.
https://www.newsweek.com/mia-khalifa-porn-adult-entertainment-houtis-yemen-1860625
https://www.newsweek.com/mia-khalifa-porn-adult-entertainment-houtis-yemen-1860625
Ships and aircraft search for 2 Navy SEALs missing after mission to confiscate Iranian missile parts
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Navy ships and aircraft combed areas of the Gulf of Aden for two missing U.S. Navy SEALs on Monday as details emerged about their mission to board and take over a vessel carrying components for medium-range Iranian ballistic missiles headed for Somalia, a U.S. defense official said Monday
The official said crew on the dhow, which did not have a country flag, were planning to transfer the missile parts, including warheads and engines, to another boat off the coast of Somalia. The Navy recognized the boat as one with a history of transporting illegal weapons from Iran to Somalia, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not made public.
The SEALs were on the USS Lewis B. Puller, a Navy expeditionary sea base vessel, and traveled in small special operations combat craft driven by naval special warfare crew to get to the boat. As they were boarding it in rough seas, around 8 p.m. local time, one SEAL got knocked off by high waves and a teammate went in after him. Both are missing.
The team boarding the small boat was facing about a dozen crew members. The crew members, who were taken into custody, had no paperwork, which allowed a search of the vessel. The weapons were confiscated, and the boat was sunk, a routine procedure that usually involves blowing open holes in the hull
U.S. officials have said that the waters in the Gulf of Aden are warm, and Navy SEALs are trained for such emergencies. On Monday, Navy ships, helicopters and drones were involved in the ongoing search.
The U.S. Navy has conducted regular interdiction missions in the region, also intercepting weapons on ships that were bound for Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.
Officials have said that the SEAL mission was not related to Operation Prosperity Guardian, the ongoing U.S. and international mission to provide protection to commercial vessels in the Red Sea, or the retaliatory strikes that the United States and the United Kingdom have conducted in Yemen over the past two days
The US and UK are seeking to target Yemen's Ansarallah-led forces for their efforts to target Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel's brutal bombing campaign in Gaza, which many view as genocide.
The US-UK strikes were supported by Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, and Bahrain, who all signed a joint statement backing the bombing.
However, Europe's major powers, France, Italy, and Spain, refused to take part in the strikes and declined to sign the statement in support of them.
The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said it was not asked to participate in the US-UK attacks on Yemen. It stated further that even if a request had been made, it could not have participated without a debate and vote in parliament to authorize military action.
The Italian deputy prime minister said Italy could not have participated at such short notice "because the constitution does not allow us to commit acts of war without a debate in parliament."
However, a government source told Reuters that Rome had been asked to participate but refused because it preferred a "calming policy."
The French government, led by Emmanuel Macron, also ruled out joint action with the US and UK, unlike in Libya in 2011 and against ISIS in Syria in 2015.
French Rear Admiral Emmanuel Slaars said on Thursday that although the French Navy is active in protecting French ships in the Red Sea, Paris's current mandate did not include striking Ansarallah directly.
The Telegraph reported that an anonymous French official said Paris feared that by joining the US-led assault on Yemen's Ansarallah-led forces, it would lose any leverage it had in mediating between Hezbollah and Israel.
France says it is focusing its diplomatic efforts on avoiding an escalation in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has been fighting Israel on the border since 7 October, also in support of Gaza.
In Spain, Minister of Defense Margarita Robles reiterated Friday that Spain will not participate in any military operation against Yemen. She said this included a rejection of participating in a European Union operation in the Red Sea, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.
"Spain is a country firmly committed to peace in the world, precisely for that reason we have 17 missions and more than 3,000 people in many places," Robles acknowledged. "From the beginning we have said that in the Red Sea we understand that Spain is not going to participate at this time."
The US-UK strikes were supported by Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, and Bahrain, who all signed a joint statement backing the bombing.
However, Europe's major powers, France, Italy, and Spain, refused to take part in the strikes and declined to sign the statement in support of them.
The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said it was not asked to participate in the US-UK attacks on Yemen. It stated further that even if a request had been made, it could not have participated without a debate and vote in parliament to authorize military action.
The Italian deputy prime minister said Italy could not have participated at such short notice "because the constitution does not allow us to commit acts of war without a debate in parliament."
However, a government source told Reuters that Rome had been asked to participate but refused because it preferred a "calming policy."
The French government, led by Emmanuel Macron, also ruled out joint action with the US and UK, unlike in Libya in 2011 and against ISIS in Syria in 2015.
French Rear Admiral Emmanuel Slaars said on Thursday that although the French Navy is active in protecting French ships in the Red Sea, Paris's current mandate did not include striking Ansarallah directly.
The Telegraph reported that an anonymous French official said Paris feared that by joining the US-led assault on Yemen's Ansarallah-led forces, it would lose any leverage it had in mediating between Hezbollah and Israel.
France says it is focusing its diplomatic efforts on avoiding an escalation in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has been fighting Israel on the border since 7 October, also in support of Gaza.
In Spain, Minister of Defense Margarita Robles reiterated Friday that Spain will not participate in any military operation against Yemen. She said this included a rejection of participating in a European Union operation in the Red Sea, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.
"Spain is a country firmly committed to peace in the world, precisely for that reason we have 17 missions and more than 3,000 people in many places," Robles acknowledged. "From the beginning we have said that in the Red Sea we understand that Spain is not going to participate at this time."
There have been several fresh incidents in the Red Sea, including a Greek-owned tanker coming attack off the coast of Yemen on Tuesday. It comes amid a string of similar attacks, causing Shell to be the latest to suspend all Red Sea shipments, according to breaking news in the WSJ.
"British oil major Shell PLC suspended all shipments through the Red Sea indefinitely after U.S. and U.K. strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels triggered fears of further escalation, according to people familiar with the decision," the publication writes. WSJ continues, "Around 12% of total global seaborne oil trade goes through the Red Sea." According to more:
Last month, a tanker chartered by Shell to move Indian jet fuel was targeted by a drone in the Red Sea and harassed by Houthi boats, according to shipping officials. Shell declined to comment on the suspension of transit and the attack.
But the company last week took the step to halt all crossings over concerns that a successful attack could trigger a massive spill in the region, as well as present risks to the safety of crews on the ships, the people said.
On Tuesday, British maritime security firm Ambrey has identified that the Zografia, a Malta-flagged Greek-owned bulk carrier, has suffered direct hit by a missile while going northbound in the Red Sea, near the Yemeni port city of Saleef.
https://www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/zografiafile.jpg?itok=Xac6PJZc
The damage to the Zografia is being described in Reuters minor with no injuries reported among24-member crew. But there's additionally already a second incident unfolding, also within 100 nautical miles of Saleef. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says it received a report of an incident, but the details of which have not been forthcoming. Based on the pattern, the second incident may involve a missile or possibly drone strike.
Clearly, the Houthis are not fearing the West's punitive strikes. Days ago The New York Times acknowledged that the US and UK-led attacks are likely to have little impact on Houthi decision-making:
Strikes are therefore “extremely unlikely” to stop the group’s Red Sea attacks, [Hannah Porter, a senior research officer at ARK Group] said.
“The Houthis are very comfortable operating in a wartime environment,” she said. “They are more successful as a military group than they are as a government.”
The strikes could also help the Houthis with domestic politics, providing “another ‘foreign enemy’ pretext to distract the public from their failing rebel governance that does not deliver services,” said Ibrahim Jalal, a Yemeni nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based research organization.
Some American allies in the region, including Qatar and Oman, had privately warned the United States that bombing the Houthis would only deepen regional tensions.
"British oil major Shell PLC suspended all shipments through the Red Sea indefinitely after U.S. and U.K. strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels triggered fears of further escalation, according to people familiar with the decision," the publication writes. WSJ continues, "Around 12% of total global seaborne oil trade goes through the Red Sea." According to more:
Last month, a tanker chartered by Shell to move Indian jet fuel was targeted by a drone in the Red Sea and harassed by Houthi boats, according to shipping officials. Shell declined to comment on the suspension of transit and the attack.
But the company last week took the step to halt all crossings over concerns that a successful attack could trigger a massive spill in the region, as well as present risks to the safety of crews on the ships, the people said.
On Tuesday, British maritime security firm Ambrey has identified that the Zografia, a Malta-flagged Greek-owned bulk carrier, has suffered direct hit by a missile while going northbound in the Red Sea, near the Yemeni port city of Saleef.
https://www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/zografiafile.jpg?itok=Xac6PJZc
The damage to the Zografia is being described in Reuters minor with no injuries reported among24-member crew. But there's additionally already a second incident unfolding, also within 100 nautical miles of Saleef. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says it received a report of an incident, but the details of which have not been forthcoming. Based on the pattern, the second incident may involve a missile or possibly drone strike.
Clearly, the Houthis are not fearing the West's punitive strikes. Days ago The New York Times acknowledged that the US and UK-led attacks are likely to have little impact on Houthi decision-making:
Strikes are therefore “extremely unlikely” to stop the group’s Red Sea attacks, [Hannah Porter, a senior research officer at ARK Group] said.
“The Houthis are very comfortable operating in a wartime environment,” she said. “They are more successful as a military group than they are as a government.”
The strikes could also help the Houthis with domestic politics, providing “another ‘foreign enemy’ pretext to distract the public from their failing rebel governance that does not deliver services,” said Ibrahim Jalal, a Yemeni nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based research organization.
Some American allies in the region, including Qatar and Oman, had privately warned the United States that bombing the Houthis would only deepen regional tensions.
On Tuesday US forces carried out another round of strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen, but this time the operation is being dubbed a "pre-emptive" attack that came in response to militants preparing missile launches on the ground in real time.
"US forces struck and destroyed four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles," a Central Command (CENTCOM) statement saud. "These missiles were prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and presented an imminent threat to both merchant and US Navy ships in the region."
Over the course of the prior day, two commercial ships were hit by Houthi missiles, including the Zografia, in an incident we detailed earlier.
US defense officials explained of this third significant wave of American strikes against the Houthis, per Politico:
The Tuesday attacks were on a much smaller scale and “dynamic” in nature, meaning they were not pre-planned and rather taken in self-defense against missiles that presented an imminent threat to international shipping, one of the officials said. All of the officials were granted anonymity to speak about a sensitive operation before an official announcement.
These Houthi launches targeting Red Sea transit are coming daily at this point, and so it's very likely there will be many more counter-attacks to come from the Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition patrolling off Yemen. CENTCOM has has also continued upping its counter-Iran operations in regional waters, also as Tehran is believed to be supplying the Yemeni rebel group with weapons.
Shell plc multinational oil and gas company has been the latest to suspend tanker operations through the Red Sea.
In earlier analysis we explained how the number of commercial vessels that have transited the Red Sea/Suez Canal route has more than halved over the past month amid rising tensions off Yemen, but more than 100 ships, including oil tankers, have crossed the water lane since the US and UK navies advised operators on Friday to steer clear of the route.
A total of 114 commercial vessels — including oil tankers, bulk carriers, and container ships — have continued with their routes and transited into or out of the Red Sea through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to vessel-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg.
While attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, national security adviser Jake Sullivan strongly suggested the region will soon see more US offensive strikes in Yemen. "We did not say when we launched our attacks, they’re gonna end once and for all," he warned in the fresh remarks.
"US forces struck and destroyed four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles," a Central Command (CENTCOM) statement saud. "These missiles were prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and presented an imminent threat to both merchant and US Navy ships in the region."
Over the course of the prior day, two commercial ships were hit by Houthi missiles, including the Zografia, in an incident we detailed earlier.
US defense officials explained of this third significant wave of American strikes against the Houthis, per Politico:
The Tuesday attacks were on a much smaller scale and “dynamic” in nature, meaning they were not pre-planned and rather taken in self-defense against missiles that presented an imminent threat to international shipping, one of the officials said. All of the officials were granted anonymity to speak about a sensitive operation before an official announcement.
These Houthi launches targeting Red Sea transit are coming daily at this point, and so it's very likely there will be many more counter-attacks to come from the Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition patrolling off Yemen. CENTCOM has has also continued upping its counter-Iran operations in regional waters, also as Tehran is believed to be supplying the Yemeni rebel group with weapons.
Shell plc multinational oil and gas company has been the latest to suspend tanker operations through the Red Sea.
In earlier analysis we explained how the number of commercial vessels that have transited the Red Sea/Suez Canal route has more than halved over the past month amid rising tensions off Yemen, but more than 100 ships, including oil tankers, have crossed the water lane since the US and UK navies advised operators on Friday to steer clear of the route.
A total of 114 commercial vessels — including oil tankers, bulk carriers, and container ships — have continued with their routes and transited into or out of the Red Sea through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to vessel-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg.
While attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, national security adviser Jake Sullivan strongly suggested the region will soon see more US offensive strikes in Yemen. "We did not say when we launched our attacks, they’re gonna end once and for all," he warned in the fresh remarks.
Biden concedes Houthis haven’t been deterred from carrying out attacks as US launches further strikes
Houthi rebels fire missile at US warship, escalating Mideast crisis
Incident in Gulf of Aden is the first time the Iranian-backed group has directly targeted an American military vessel.
Houthi rebels fire missile at US warship, escalating Mideast crisis
Incident in Gulf of Aden is the first time the Iranian-backed group has directly targeted an American military vessel.
So we’re two weeks in.
The administration is already calling it a
How many weeks do they keep fighting with this group before involving Congress?
Update(0153ET): The Indian Navy led by the INS Visakhapatnam was among the first rescue team to respond to the stricken Marlin Luanda after it was hit by a missile fired by the Houthis. It was reportedly on fire for a lengthy amount of time, by some accounts over six hours, before the blaze was extinguished by the Indian Navy.
Images published by the Indian Navy (below) show smoke and flame billowing at the height of day. According to more details via BBC:
A tanker with links to the UK was on fire for several hours in the Gulf of Aden after being hit by a missile fired by the Houthis.
The Iran-backed movement, based in Yemen, said it targeted the Marlin Luanda on Friday in response to "American-British aggression".
The US and UK have launched air strikes on Houthi targets in response to attacks on ships in the Red Sea region French, Indian and US naval ships provided assistance to the vessel.
Images published by the Indian Navy (below) show smoke and flame billowing at the height of day. According to more details via BBC:
A tanker with links to the UK was on fire for several hours in the Gulf of Aden after being hit by a missile fired by the Houthis.
The Iran-backed movement, based in Yemen, said it targeted the Marlin Luanda on Friday in response to "American-British aggression".
The US and UK have launched air strikes on Houthi targets in response to attacks on ships in the Red Sea region French, Indian and US naval ships provided assistance to the vessel.
He has 60 days correct?
Probably needs to start the process of getting congressional approval. This doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon…at least with the way operations are currently being conducted.
Within sixty calendar days after a report is submitted or is required to be submitted pursuant to section 4(a)(1), whichever is earlier, the President shall terminate any use of United States Armed Forces with respect to which such report was submitted (or required to be submitted), unless the Congress (1) has declared war or has enacted a specific authorization for such use of United States Armed Forces, (2) has extended by law such sixty-day period, or (3) is physically unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States. Such sixty-day period shall be extended for not more than an additional thirty days if the President determines and certifies to the Congress in writing that unavoidable military necessity respecting the safety of United States Armed Forces requires the continued use of such armed forces in the course of bringing about a prompt removal of such forces.
We're now in week six of bombing Yemen, is this going as everyone expected?
Attacks on Red Sea shipping from Yemen's Houthis have continued over the last several days, but so has the US coalition's response.
On Wednesday many large explosions rocked the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah, the result of the latest major US and British strikes. The last three days have seen some 30 missile strikes on Yemen from the coalition Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Yemeni sources have said that in total the US and UK have carried out 403 attacks on the country, including 203 airstrikes, since Red Sea hostilities began in reaction to Israeli's offensive in Gaza.
A Houthi government spokesman this week announced the following claimed 'stats':
Shami added that Yemeni naval forces have carried out operations against 14 US vessels, three British vessels, and 17 Israeli vessels since the start of the Gaza–Israel war in October.
"We banned the entry of 99 American commodities, merchandise, and companies that support the criminal Zionist entity," Shami said.
"We shut down 354 agencies and 12 companies and 23 branches of companies … [linked to] American and Zionist trademarks," he continued.
But there are also fresh reports saying the Houthis are in many cases "firing blind" and even inadvertently targeting Iranian vessels. This means what Russian and Chinese ships could also come under fire, despite Houthis officials having declared they have been given safe passage.
One maritime report describes of the latest friendly fire incident:
On Monday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles at a ship bound for Iran, the militia’s main supporter. Would the Houthis really target their patrons in Tehran?
Almost certainly not. There’s no evidence to suggest a rupture between Iran and the Houthis, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea in hopes of increasing global pressure on Israel to stop its assault on Gaza.
Rather, according to Eurasia Group’s Iran Expert Gregory Brew, the attack shows that the Houthis may be simply taking a different tack. "Houthi attacks may become more indiscriminate," says Brew, "hitting ships they don’t intend to hit, or targeting ones with more sensitive cargoes."
On Thursday there has been another incident, east of Yemen's Aden, where a cargo vessel has suffered fresh damage - presumably from rocket or drone fire coming from Yemen.
British maritime security agency UKMTO has said in an alert that an explosion was reported near a ship traversing off Yemen's coast. The ship reported "an explosion in close proximity to the vessel" while sailing to its next port of call. However details have been scant and the exact nature of what happened is still unclear.
Yemen's Houthis have vowed to keep up their attacks on both foreign commercial vessels and Western warships in the Red Sea. Incidents have now become daily, and so have the US coalitions attacks, often against Houthi launch sites.
Crew Abandons Cargo Ship After Houthi Attack; US MQ-9 Reaper Downed By Rebels
Attacks on Red Sea shipping from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis escalated overnight when missiles hit a commercial vessel and forced the crew to evacuate. There are also reports a US drone was knocked out of the sky by an anti-air missile.
Bloomberg reports missiles hit the engine room of "Rubymar," a Belize-flagged cargo ship sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Rubymar reported severe damage after "an explosion in close proximity to the vessel," the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center reported.
"Military authorities report crew have abandoned the vessel," UKMTO said, adding, "Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe."
This is the first instance the crew of a commercial vessel has been forced to evacuate due to damage sustained by rebel attacks.
Yahya Sare'e, the Houthis' spokesperson, warned in a statement that Rubymar is "now at risk of potentially sinking."
"The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt," Sare'e continued.
He also said Yemeni air defenses shot down a US General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone in the region "with a suitable missile while it was carrying out hostile missions against our country."
Seems like all military involvement is ongoing with no resolution is sight....
This administration seems to like straddling the fence. In Ukraine, give military aid, but not too much lest Russia think we're helping too much. In Israel, give aid to Israel, but warn them not to use it because the rest of the world will think it's excessive. In regard to Iran sponsored terrorists, retaliate a little bit, but not so much to piss anyone else off, and make sure it's appropriate.
Jeesh. War should be fought in a severe and unrelenting fashion. The way we fight it now it will never end and be ongoing. Want to deter attacks? Kill the attackers!!! It's not that hard of a concept. Maybe there's some other goal we aren't aware of...
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We’ll see how it all works out. Kind of a damned if do, damned if you don’t situation. To top it off it’s an election year. Which obviously effects decisions made…
It's really not all that. There's somehow this notion that rogue countries or terrorists can launch attacks, which violate international law, but the response has to follow international law. That's like getting punched in the face, then only being able to punch back with one hand tied behind your back. When nations or groups attack and kill, the only response should be to retaliate to the point where those nations can't do it again, at least in the near future. Are we going to be the leader of the world, or not?
In theory I agree with you but as with everything politics effects policy. That’s the reality, for every administration.,
Middle East escalation fears spike as Houthis launch most damaging attack yet
- The crew of the British-owned carrier MV Rubymar were forced to abandon ship in the Gulf of Aden after "two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched" from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, according to U.S. Central Command.
- Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues as alarm grows over a potential ground offensive into Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.
- Twenty-six EU countries have issued a warning against Israel's offensive in Rafah, saying it would only deepen the humanitarian catastrophe there.
Middle East escalation fears spike as Houthis launch most damaging attack yet
"The ship was severely damaged, leading to its complete halt … It is now at risk of sinking in the Gulf Aden," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said.
