Yemen strikes latest: US 'not looking for conflict with Iran,' says White House
The United States is “not looking for conflict with Iran”, the White House has said, following airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight to stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesman, warned the rebels against retaliatory attacks, reminding them that the US would not hesitate to take further action.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, have vowed to retaliate after Britain and the United States launched air strikes against their military bases in Yemen.
The group’s military spokesman said the attacks would not go “without punishment or retaliation” after officials vowed the Western coalition would “pay the price”.
The US Air Force said American and British forces struck more than 60 targets in 16 locations after the Iran-backed Houthis led a campaign of missile and drone attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in response to the Gaza war.
Rishi Sunak said Britain will “degrade and disrupt” Houthi capability as he said that attacks in the Red Sea cannot be carried out with impunity.
However, in the US, Progressive Democrats denounced Joe Biden’s decision to strike Houthi targets in Yemen as “unconstitutional”.
Mr Kirby told MSNBC: “We’re not looking for conflict with Iran. We’re not looking to escalate and there’s no reason for it to escalate beyond what happened over the last few days.
He added: “We know that Iran supports the Houthis. We know that they’re supplying them with the missiles and the drones, the same things they’ve used to attack shipping.
Earlier, Lord Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary, said the air strikes send a “very clear message” to Iran.
06:23 PM GMT
Blog closed - today's top stories
Thank you for following our live blog. That’s all for today, but we’ll be back with another on the Israel-Hamas conflict tomorrow. In the meantime, here is a rundown of the day’s big stories:
British and American airstrikes in Yemen send a “very clear message” to Iran, Lord Cameron has said
Progressive Democrats have denounced Joe Biden’s decision to strike Houthi targets in Yemen as “unconstitutional”
The United States is “not looking for conflict with Iran”, the White House has said, following airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight to stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping
Britain will “degrade and disrupt” Houthi capability, Rishi Sunak has pledged, as he said that attacks in the Red Sea cannot be carried out with impunity
The Houthis have vowed to retaliate after Britain and the United States launched airstrikes against their military bases in Yemen.
Houthi militants have mistakenly targeted a tanker carrying Russian oil in a missile attack off Yemen, according to the maritime security firm Ambrey
Tens of thousands of Yemenis gathered in several cities to hear their leaders condemn US and British strikes on their country in response to attacks by Houthi militants on Red Sea shipping
06:14 PM GMT
'Houthis mistakenly target tanker carrying Russian oil'
Houthi militants have mistakenly targeted a tanker carrying Russian oil in a missile attack off Yemen, according to the maritime security firm Ambrey.
The British company said it had received a report of a missile being fired 90 nautical miles southeast of Yemen’s port city of Aden.
“The master reported a missile landing in the water 400-500 metres away, and being followed by three small craft,” the company said, adding that there were no injuries or damage.
Ambrey said: “This was the second tanker mistakenly targeted by the Houthis whilst carrying Russian oil.”
Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi militants, who control much of Yemen, have launched wave after wave of exploding drones and missiles at Western commercial vessels in the Red Sea since Nov. 19, in what they say is a protest against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
05:40 PM GMT
UN chief warns against escalation after US-UK strikes on Houthis
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all sides “not to escalate” the volatile situation in the Red Sea, his spokesman said on Friday after Washington and London launched strikes on Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
“The Secretary General further calls on all parties involved not to escalate even more the situation in the interest of peace and stability in the Red Sea and the wider region,” said Mr Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
05:25 PM GMT
Gaza hostages to receive medicines
Israel negotiated a deal with Qatar to get medicines through to hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli prime minister’s office said on Friday.
The deal “will allow the entry of medicines for the hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organisation in Gaza”, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
05:09 PM GMT
Cyprus 'not involved' in UK strikes on Yemen from island
Cyprus is “not involved” in military action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the foreign ministry said on Friday, after aircraft stationed at a British base on the island joined US-led strikes on the rebels.
Britain has retained sovereign control over two base areas in its former colony under the terms of the treaties that granted the island independence in 1960.
Early on Friday, British warplanes, which had taken off from Akrotiri airbase on the island, hit Houthi targets in Yemen suspected of being used to launch missiles and attack drones at Red Sea shipping in support of Palestinian militants in Gaza, the British defence ministry said.
“Regarding the use of British bases in Cyprus, the government is in constant communication with the UK, always within the framework set by the Treaty of Establishment,” foreign ministry spokesman Theodoros Gotsis said.
04:57 PM GMT
Pictured: A massive protest in Sanaa after US, UK strikes on Yemen rebels
Hundreds of thousands of people, some carrying Kalashnikov rifles, massed for a major demonstration in Yemen’s rebel-held capital Sanaa on Friday after US and UK attacks.
Crowds under a sea of Yemen and Palestinian flags chanted “Death to America, death to Israel” as they massed in the giant Sanaa square in the historic city’s centre.
04:42 PM GMT
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04:30 PM GMT
Analysis: Israeli defence at UN top court
Israel used a mix of righteous anger and legal technicality at the International Court of Justice on Friday in a bid to have the charge of genocide brought against it by South Africa dismissed, reports Paul Nuki.
In a passionate opening statement, Israeli foreign ministry’s legal adviser, Tal Becker, accused South Africa of doing Hamas’s bidding by “weaponizing the term genocide against Israel” and “grossly distorting” the story of the war in Gaza.
“The appalling suffering of civilians, both Israeli and Palestinian, is first and foremost the result of Hamas’ strategy,” he told the court as images and recordings of the terrible events of Oct 7 were played.
“If there were acts of genocide, they have been perpetrated against Israel,” he added, firmly asserting Israel’s right to self defence.
On this, Mr Becker is obviously right. Hamas is a genocidal organisation by definition and deed.
Its charter calls for the eradication of Israel and the wholesale slaughter of Jews. The Oct 7 massacre was not just obscene in its nature and scale, it was an exact manifestation of what Hamas has long threatened and continues to preach.
The difficulty for Israel is that all of this is known and agreed on. No one in The Hague or any other serious institution doubts the depravity of Hamas’s actions or Israel’s right to defend itself against them.
Read: Q&A: Will Israel be charged with genocide at The Hague?
04:29 PM GMT
British air strikes send message to Iran, says Cameron
British air strikes in Yemen send a “very clear message” to Iran, Lord Cameron has said.
The Foreign Secretary vowed that Britain would “do what is necessary” to end Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, as he drew a distinction between the overnight strikes and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, have vowed to retaliate after Britain and the United States launched air strikes against their military bases in Yemen.
Lord Cameron told NBC that “warning after warning has been given and yet the attacks continued,” adding, the “very clear message” was: “If you act in this way there aren’t just warnings there are consequences.”
A Nato spokesperson said Iran “has a special responsibility to rein in its proxies.”
04:24 PM GMT
US-Britain attack on Houthis will fuel instability in region, says Iran
Iran said it condemns the U.S.-Britain attack on Houthis in Yemen warning that it will fuel “insecurity and instability” in the region, Iranian state media reported.
“We strongly condemn the military attacks carried out this morning by the United States and the United Kingdom on several cities in Yemen”, said Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson at Iran’s foreign ministry.
“These attacks are a clear violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of international laws,” he added.
03:57 PM GMT
US 'not looking for conflict with Iran,' says White House
The United States does not seek conflict with Iran despite carrying out strikes on Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels to stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping, the White House has said.
John Kirby, National Security Council spokesman, said: “We’re not looking for conflict with Iran.
“We’re not looking to escalate and there’s no reason for it to escalate beyond what happened over the last few days.”
Mr Kirby added that the US is still assessing the impact of the strikes which targeted the Iran-backed militants’ ability to store, launch and guide its missiles or drones.
“We’re still doing the assessment of the actual impacts on all these targets. That work is ongoing. So I think we’ll have a better sense of the specifics of the damage done here in the coming hours,” he said.
03:51 PM GMT
Biden's decision to strike Houthi targets 'unconstitutional,' say progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats have denounced Joe Biden’s decision to strike Houthi targets in Yemen as “unconstitutional”.
While Mr Biden notified Congress before launching Thursday night’s attacks, he did not request its approval.
Democrat lawmakers have claimed the move violated Article 1 of the Constitution, which requires military action to be authorised by Congress.
“This is an unacceptable violation of the Constitution,” Democrat congresswoman Pramila Jayapal wrote on social media.
“These airstrikes have NOT been authorised by Congress”, Democrat Val Hoyle wrote.
“The Constitution is clear: Congress has the sole authority to authorise military involvement in overseas conflicts.
“Every president must first come to Congress and ask for military authorisation, regardless of party.”
Mr Biden has seen growing unrest within his own party over his ongoing support for Israel since the outbreak of war last year.
03:41 PM GMT
UKMTO receives report of incident in Red Sea near Yemen's Aden
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation has received a report of an incident in the Red Sea near Yemen.
UKMTO NOTICE 007/JAN/2024https://t.co/6a9TLpaLrg#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/RuyFCayvjH
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) January 12, 2024
03:35 PM GMT
Watch: Sunak says Houthi operations will be degraded
03:27 PM GMT
Large protests break out in Yemen
Tens of thousands of Yemenis gathered in several cities to hear their leaders condemn US and British strikes on their country in response to attacks by Houthi militants on Red Sea shipping.
“Your strikes on Yemen are terrorism,” said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, referring to the United States. “The United States is the Devil.”
03:03 PM GMT
Submarines, jets and laser-guided bombs – how precision strikes on the Houthis unfolded
Four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets slipped into Yemen’s airspace in the early hours of Friday morning, loaded with 230kg Paveway IV precision-guided bombs intended to pound rebel positions.
With a range of just 16 miles, the bombs were likely carried inland and then launched as part of a night-time raid responding to Houthi attacks on the Royal Navy in the Red Sea.
Explosions soon lit up the sky as an airbase, military camp and the Houthi’s Al-Masirah television station were targeted, before the warplanes banked away to return to base, videos on the ground in Yemen show.
Read more from Joe Barnes, The Telegraph’s Brussels Correspondent, here
02:52 PM GMT
'I heard the sound of huge explosions' - civilian reaction to air strikes in Sana'a
Verity Bowman, The Telegraph’s Foreign Reporter, has the latest on the civilian reaction from Yemen.
Nash, 26 said: “I heard the sounds of huge explosions near Sanaa International Airport.
“I was in bed. It was so loud that it woke me up...I felt a lot of fear in that moment.
“I was with my family during the attacks. We all felt so much fear and the children were crying.”
Osama, 21, said: “Last night, at about 2 and 3AM I heard an air strike. It was three or four explosions.
“In my experience, it’s like a routine in my day, because it’s not the first time. My people are used to these explosions.”
02:40 PM GMT
Pictured: A child holds up a mock RPG, as supporters of the Houthi movement rally to denounce air strikes, in Sana'a, Yemen
02:31 PM GMT
Britain and US trying to turn Red Sea into 'sea of blood,' Turkey says
Britain and the US are trying to turn the Red Sea into a “sea of blood,” the Turkish president said, as he condemned the overnight air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
Asked by reporters about the overnight air and sea strikes by US and British forces across Yemen in retaliation against Iran-backed Houthi forces for attacks on Red Sea shipping, Tayyip Erdogan said these were not proportionate.
“All that has been done is a disproportionate use of force,” he said after Friday prayers in Istanbul.
“At the moment, they are trying to turn the Red Sea into a sea of blood.”
02:22 PM GMT
Italy 'declined to take part in strikes'
Italy declined to take part in US and British strikes overnight against the Houthi group in Yemen, a government source said, explaining that Rome preferred to pursue a “calming” policy in the Red Sea.
The source, who did not want to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, also said the government would have needed parliamentary backing to take part in any military action, making swift approval impossible.
The United States and Britain struck multiple targets in Yemen from the air and the sea, while the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and Bahrain provided logistical and intelligence support, US officials have said.
The overnight strikes were a response to repeated Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea - one of the world’s busiest trade lanes. The group, which is backed by Iran, says its attacks were a sign of solidarity with Hamas.
Earlier this week, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told Reuters that the Houthi attacks had to be stopped without triggering a new war in the region.
02:11 PM GMT
Strikes had 'good effect,' says US
US-British strikes on Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen had “good effects,” Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman has said.
There are currently no plans to send additional US troops to the region, Brigadier General Ryder said in an interview with CNN.
“Our initial assessment is that we had good effects,” he said.
“We will continue to monitor and as the president and [US defence secretary] Austin have said, we will continue to take necessary action.”
02:08 PM GMT
Britain will 'degrade and disrupt' Houthis, Sunak says
Britain will “degrade and disrupt” Houthi capability, Rishi Sunak has pledged, as he said that attacks in the Red Sea cannot be carried out with impunity.
The Prime Minister said the UK must send a “strong signal” to the Yemeni rebels that their behaviour “can’t be met without a response.”
He said: “We’ve carried out a series of strikes together with allies, which we believe will degrade and disrupt the capability.”
The Houthis have vowed to retaliate after Britain and the United States launched air strikes against their military bases in Yemen.
The group’s military spokesman said the attacks would not go “without punishment or retaliation” after officials vowed the Western coalition would “pay the price”.
Mr Sunak said initial indications showed strikes had been successful, adding that Britain would continue to monitor the situation.
He added: “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.”
01:57 PM GMT
Pictured: People protest against a multinational operation to safeguard Red Sea shipping in Sana'a, Yemen
01:33 PM GMT
This escalation has been caused by the Houthis, says Cameron
Lord Cameron has said that the UK and allies would continue to do “what is necessary” to “protect maritime freedom of navigation and important maritime pathways”.
The Foreign Secretary said: “We will continue to make sure that we do that. But be clear, what we were doing, warnings, was not working, the number of attacks was increasing, the severity of those attacks was increasing.
“This escalation has been caused by the Houthis.”
He told NBC that the “very clear message” was: “If you act in this way there aren’t just warnings there are consequences.”
01:25 PM GMT
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.
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,”
He said the US had not seen retaliatory action, nor were there plans to add additional forces to the region.
He added that Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, who was hospitalised on Jan. 1 to treat an infection, was in good condition, had spoken twice to Joe Biden in the last two days and had been “actively engaged in overseeing and directing these strikes.”
01:13 PM GMT
Cameron: It is right we have taken action
Houthi actions against UK and other ships are completely unacceptable.
It’s right we’ve taken action. https://t.co/eG50DlGUbH— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 12, 2024
01:04 PM GMT
Strikes by US and Britain against Houthi forces were defensive, says Nato
Strikes by the US and British militaries against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen were “defensive, and designed to preserve freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways”, a Nato spokesperson has said.
“Houthi forces are supported, supplied and equipped by Iran. So Tehran has a special responsibility to rein in its proxies”, the spokesperson added.
12:42 PM GMT
Britain aims to 'restore stability to region,' says Sunak
Rishi Sunak said Britain’s aim was to “restore stability” to the region when asked about concerns over the possibility of wider escalation following strikes against Houthi rebel bases in Yemen.
Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Ukraine, the Prime Minister said: “Our aim is very clear, it’s to de-escalate tensions and restore stability to the region. That’s why allies over the past few weeks have issued several statements of condemnation of what’s happening, calling on the Houthis to desist.”
He added: “We have acted in self-defence. It’s incumbent now on the Houthis to stop carrying out these attacks, disrupting the global economy which has also had a damaging impact on people’s shopping... That’s not right.”
12:26 PM GMT
Houthi attacks 'cannot continue with impunity,' says Sunak
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.”
12:21 PM GMT
Almost 24, 000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since October 7
Almost 24,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run health ministry has claimed.
Israel’s latest attacks on Gaza have killed at least 151 people, including 11 in a single house, Palestinian health officials said.
Gaza health officials said the 11 people had been killed by a single air strike around dawn in a house in Deir Al-Balah belonging to the Fayad family, a prominent name in the city.
At least 23,708 Palestinians have been killed and 60,005 wounded in total since the October 7 attacks.
12:15 PM GMT
No parliamentary vote on support for strikes
There are no plans to hold a parliamentary vote on support for the military action, a spokesperson for Rishi Sunak has said.
The Prime Minister will make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday about strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen.
Asked if there were would be a retrospective vote on the strikes, Mr Sunak’s spokesperson said: “There are no plans for that.
“As we’ve said the deployment of armed forces is a prerogative power, and the government is under no legal obligation to seek formal parliamentary approval.”
12:00 PM GMT
Full summary of the legality of UK military action to target Houthi facilities in Yemen
The Houthis have been carrying out dozens of serious attacks on shipping in the Red Sea for a sustained period. British flagged vessels, as well as the vessels of many other States, have been the subject of those attacks. On 9 January, this culminated in an attack against HMS Diamond, involving multiple drones.
The government assesses that attacks will continue unless action is taken to deter them.
Military intervention to strike carefully identified targets in order to effectively downgrade the Houthi’s capabilities and deter further attacks was lawfully taken.
It was necessary and proportionate to respond to attacks by the Houthis and this was the only feasible means available to deal with such attacks.
The UK is permitted under international law to use force in such circumstances where acting in self-defence is the only feasible means to deal with an actual or imminent armed attack and where the force used is necessary and proportionate.
The Government will notify the United Nations Security Council of the actions it has taken under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
11:51 AM GMT
Strike on Sana'a
11:42 AM GMT
Oman condemns US and UK strikes
Oman condemned American and British strikes on targets in rebel-held Yemen, warning of the risk of escalating conflict in the region.
Oman, a mediator in attempts to end Yemen’s long-running civil war, expressed its “worry” at the strikes on Houthi rebel military targets that, according to the Houthis, left five people dead.
The Gulf sultanate “can only condemn the use of military action by friendly countries” while Israel pursues war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, said a foreign ministry spokesman, according to official media.
“Oman has warned several times about the risk of the extension of the conflict in the region due to the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian territories,” it said.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry also expressed “great concern” about the strikes, echoing the view of Yemen’s powerful neighbour Saudi Arabia, which is trying to extricate itself from a nine-year war with the Houthis.
11:26 AM GMT
Yemen strikes justified under international law, says Britain
The British government has published a summary of its legal advice, which said its decision to strike Houthi military targets in Yemen was justified under international law.
“The UK is permitted under international law to use force in such circumstances where acting in self-defence is the only feasible means to deal with an actual or imminent armed attack and where the force used is necessary and proportionate,” the document said.
The document was titled ‘Summary of the UK Government Legal Position: The legality of UK military action to target Houthi facilities in Yemen’ and was published on the government website.
The British government will notify the United Nations Security Council of the actions it has taken, it added.
11:07 AM GMT
Shapps: It was our duty to protect vessels & freedom of navigation
Four @RoyalAirForce Typhoons have conducted precision strikes on two Houthi military targets alongside US forces.
The threat to innocent lives and global trade has become so great that this action was not only necessary, it was our duty to protect vessels & freedom of navigation pic.twitter.com/tbN7ncJYpF— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 12, 2024
10:48 AM GMT
'I saw a lot of destruction, but this is normal to us' - civilian reaction from Yemen
Verity Bowman, The Telegraph’s Foreign Reporter, has the latest on the civilian reaction from Yemen.
Muneer, 22, who was in Sana’a during the attacks, said: “I heard and saw the attacks, they were very close to us.
“There was a big explosion that made the house shake. I saw a lot of destruction, but this is normal to us. We have seen a lot of attacks before.
“I was with my family when it happened. We watched them together. My little brothers, who are ten, cried a lot. All I could do was hug them and tell them it would go away, even though I could not be sure of this.”
Omar, 20, in Taiz, said: “I haven’t been able to communicate with one of my friends since yesterday.
“He sent me a clip and photos of the attacks in Sana’a he had taken. He was calling me and he was very scared and he was crying scared. It is very sad.”
10:32 AM GMT
Speaker 'happy to facilitate recall of Commons'
Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said he is “happy to facilitate a recall at any time.”
The Commons Speaker said:
“I was invited to a meeting at the Cabinet Office last night to be briefed about the air strikes on Houthi rebel bases.
“I made representations to the Deputy Prime Minister about the need for the House to be informed at the earliest possible opportunity and that I would be happy to facilitate a recall at any time.”
10:23 AM GMT
Labour backs UK and US strikes against Houthi rebels, says Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer said Labour supported the UK and US strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Asked if the Government had his party’s support, Sir Keir told BBC Radio 5 Live this morning: “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.”
10:13 AM GMT
Biden 'found some guts,' says former US marines chief of staff
Joe Biden found some guts over the past couple of weeks, a former US marines chief of staff has said, as he urged the US to send a clear message to the Houthis that they would not tolerate attacks on shipping.
Colonel Brendan Kearney told Sky News that the “Houthis were targeting anything that was floating”.
He said the US “has to make a clear unambiguous message to the Houthis and Iran that the US and its coalition partners are not going to tolerate these attacks on shipping.”
He added: “The targeting is hopefully meaningful targets. This has got to be a series of targets that make a difference.”
The US president has previously shown a lack of guts, he said, nothing that “somehow over the past couple weeks he has found some”.
09:55 AM GMT
Shipping company welcomes measures to secure safe Red Sea passage
German container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd has welcomed measures to secure safe Red Sea passage for cargo vessels as diversions from the region lead to monthly additional costs for the company in the high double-digit millions, the Funke Media Group reported, citing a spokesperson for the company.
The spokesperson declined to comment on strikes conducted by the United States and Britain in Yemen in response to militant attacks but said, “we welcome measures that make the passage through the Red Sea safe again.”
09:43 AM GMT
Pictured: Protests against the bombing of Yemen
09:30 AM GMT
Strike on Houthis aimed at preventing more attacks, says Germany
Germany’s Foreign Office said that overnight strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen by Britain and the United States were meant to prevent further attacks.
For weeks, the Huthi have been aggressively attacking merchant ships & military vessels in the #RedSea & taking mariners hostage. These illegal attacks have been widely condemned around the world, including by the UN Security Council (1/2)
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) January 12, 2024
09:15 AM GMT
US-British action 'based on right of self-defence,' says Netherlands
Just now, the United States and the United Kingdom have carried out precision strikes on targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The objective of these strikes is to eliminate, among other things, launch platforms and missile installations used by Houthi rebels to carry out…
— Mark Rutte (@MinPres) January 12, 2024
09:00 AM GMT
Houthis 'cannot use global trade as ransom,' says minister
We cannot allow the Houthis to use global trade as a ransom to achieve their aims, the minister for the Armed Forces has said.
James Heappey told the BBC: “Whatever you think of the Houthis’ cause and their justification… we cannot allow them to seek to choke off global trade as a ransom to achieve whatever their political and diplomatic aims are.”
When asked about possible further missions, he said: “There are none immediately planned, and that’s an important point. Last night was a limited, proportionate, necessary response.”
08:48 AM GMT
Watch: Britain and US launch air strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen
08:42 AM GMT
At least five killed in strikes against Houthis on Yemen, says group
At least five people were killed and six wounded in US-led strikes on Yemen, a Houthi spokesman has said.
The group’s military spokesman said that strikes against the movement by the United States and Britain would not go without “punishment or retaliation.”
The Houthis would continue to block the passage of ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, he said.
08:31 AM GMT
Houthis must halt attacks in Red Sea, says Cameron
The UK and US have carried out targeted strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen.
The safety of UK vessels and the freedom of navigation across the Red Sea is paramount and that is why we are taking action.
As the UNSC has made clear, the Houthis must halt attacks in…— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 12, 2024
08:20 AM GMT
Allies set out justification for US-UK action
08:17 AM GMT
Houthis are responsible for escalation in the Red Sea, says France
France reaffirmed its condemnation of Houthi strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, calling for those to stop immediately in the wake of attacks launched by the United States and Britain against Houthi military targets in Yemen.
The French foreign ministry said: “Through these armed actions, the Houthis bear the extremely heavy responsibility for the regional escalation.”
It comes after Britain and the United States launched targeted strikes against military bases used by the Houthis in Yemen, with rebel officials warning that a “heavy price” will be paid for the attacks.
07:57 AM GMT
Watch: RAF Typhoon strikes target in Yemen
RAF released footage of a Typhoon strike conducted last night in Yemen. Paveway missiles were used in this strike. pic.twitter.com/thwM6dKJst
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) January 12, 2024
07:46 AM GMT
Dannatt: We need 'surgical and swift' action to keep this contained
A former head of the British Army has said the action against the Houthis needs to be “surgical and swift” to avoid escalation in the region.
Lord Dannatt suggested any successful operation will be dependent on the quality of intelligence the US and UK have managed to gather before launching the strikes.
He told the BBC: “I think one has to hope that this is calculated, based on intelligence and will be sufficiently surgical and swift to eradicate the problem in the Red Sea and therefore the emphasis can go back to keeping the Israel-Gaza conflict as contained as possible.
“The danger is that this will linger and this will become another zone of conflict across the world.”
Lord Dannatt added that Iran “has got its hand all over” the conflict in its backing for the Houthis as well as Hezbollah and Hamas.
07:40 AM GMT
'This was self-defence', says Armed Forces Minister
Overnight strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen by Britain and the United States were an act of self defence, James Heappey has said.
The armed forces minister described the military action as a proportionate response to the crisis in the Red Sea, and emphasised the need to avoid “regional escalation”.
Mr Heappey said: “Our action and the action of the Americans last night was in self defence in order to defend against further attacks on our warships as they go about their legal and reasonable business.”
He would not confirm whether more strikes were planned but said the warning to the Houthis remained in place, adding: “We’ll see over the course of the next few days whether the attacks stop.”
07:07 AM GMT
Russia requests UN Security Council meeting after Yemen strike
Russia has requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss military strikes on Yemen by the United States and Britain.
“Russia has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on January 12 in connection with the US and UK strikes on Yemen,” Russia’s permanent mission to the United Nations said.
06:26 AM GMT
Photos show attack launch
06:02 AM GMT
'Confirms US is a full partner in Gaza massacres': Hezbollah
Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah has joined its ally, Iran, in condemning the attacks on Yemen – and had particularly strong words for the US.
The group said in a statement that “the American aggression confirms once again that the US is a full partner in the tragedies and massacres committed by the Zionist enemy in Gaza and the region’’.
For context, it was expected that Hezbollah would denounce the Yemen attacks given that, like the Houthis, the group has been using force to pressure Israel.
Group members in Lebanon have been exchanging cross-border fire with Israeli soldiers on a daily basis since October 8, to show solidarity with Hamas and Palestinians.
Last week the group launched 62 rockets into Israel from Lebanon in what it said was its “first response” to Israel’s assassination of a senior Hamas official in Beirut.
Between 200,000 and 250,000 Palestinian refugees are living in Lebanon, according to the United Nations.
05:42 AM GMT
More than 60 targets hit: US Air Force
At least 60 targets across 16 locations in Yemen were hit during the night, according to a senior US Air Force commander.
‘‘Over 100 precision-guided munitions of various types were used in the strikes,’’ said Lieutenant General Alex Grynkewich, who oversees operations in the Middle East.
‘‘These strikes were comprised of coalition air and maritime strike and support assets from across the region.’’
He added: ‘‘We remain committed to our critical partners throughout the Middle East to defend against Iranian-backed militia groups, including Houthi militants, and the threat they pose to regional security and stability.”
05:29 AM GMT
'Civilians were not targeted'
A senior military official said the US and UK ‘‘were absolutely not targeting civilian population centres’’.
The unnamed source told CNN reporters a “significant” portion of the Houthis’ assets were destroyed. He added that precision guided munitions were used “to minimise collateral damage”.
05:23 AM GMT
'No justification': Iran-backed Houthis will keep hitting ships
Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesman for the Houthis, said there was no justification for the US and UK to strike Yemen and that the group would keep targeting ships heading towards Israel.
Not surprisingly, Iran – which supplies the Houthis with high-powered weapons – echoed the criticism by ‘‘strongly’’ condemning what its government said was a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
04:49 AM GMT
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04:04 AM GMT
Photo of blast in Yemen
04:02 AM GMT
Australians were in 'operational headquarters'
Richard Marles, the Australian defence minister, has said Australians were at the ‘‘operational headquarters’’ but declined to provide further details about the extent of his country’s involvement.
“Australia’s support of these actions came in the form of personnel in the operational headquarters,” Mr Marles told a news conference.
“Australia will continue to support any actions which assert the global rules-based order.”
He said the strikes ‘‘are about maintaining freedom of navigation of the seas...[and] global trade that is completely central to Australia’s national interest.’’
03:47 AM GMT
This fight could be long and tough
Although the recent escalation of Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea had so far been “rudimentary,” a report this week by the London-based Royal United Services Institute warned that: “it may prove difficult for the West to effectively degrade Houthi capabilities”.
Recent assaults by the Iran-backed group have included the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles [ASBMs] for the first time in history.
The Houthis have a range of ASCMs available to them, as well as the capabilities to deploy drones and un-crewed kamikaze boats, write the authors of the analysis, Sam Cranny-Evans and Dr Sidharth Kaushal.
Read Nicola Smith’s story to learn more about the Houthis’ advanced arsenal
03:30 AM GMT
Strikes could be first of many
The strikes came from air, sea and submarine forces stationed in the region as part of the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian.
The US used a nearby submarine to launch Tomahawks – jet-powered missiles with a range of 1000 miles – to strike sites that have been used by the Houthis to launch at least 27 attacks on ships in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. Jets were launched from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier and scrambled from a base in the Middle East.
Read more: The US and UK air strikes could be the first of many
02:11 AM GMT
Video: Typhoons take off from RAF Akrotiri on Yemen mission
01:47 AM GMT
Dutch PM: ‘US-British action is based on the right of self-defence’
Mark Rutte, the prime minister of the Netherlands, has issued a statement in support of the airstrikes.
Britain and the US earlier confirmed the Netherlands – as well as Canada, Australia and Behrain – had provided ‘‘non-operational support’’ for the attacks in Yemen.
Just now, the United States and the United Kingdom have carried out precision strikes on targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The objective of these strikes is to eliminate, among other things, launch platforms and missile installations used by Houthi rebels to carry out…
— Mark Rutte (@MinPres) January 12, 2024
01:43 AM GMT
Strikes uphold 'rules-based international order': US Defense Secretary
Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, has released a statement on tonight’s airstrikes, stressing that the US “maintains its right to self-defence” and warning that “if necessary, we will take follow-on actions to protect US forces”.
“Since November 19, the Houthis have launched more than two dozen attacks on vessels, including commercial vessels, creating an international challenge that demands collective action,” he said.
“Today, a coalition of countries committed to upholding the rules-based international order demonstrated our shared commitment to defending US and international vessels and commercial vessels exercising navigational rights and freedoms from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.
“We will not hesitate to defend our forces, the global economy, and the free flow of legitimate commerce in one of the world’s vital waterways.”
01:36 AM GMT
'Care was taken to minimise any risks to civilians': MoD
The number of casualties from the strikes has yet to be revealed but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said that durng planning “particular care was taken to minimise any risks to civilians”.
Four RAF Typhoons used Paveway IV guided bombs in ‘‘precision strikes” on two targets that had been chosen to “reduce the Houthis’ capability to violate international law”, the ministry said in a statement.
One of the targets in Bani, north-west Yemen, at a site the MoD said had been used to launch spy and attack drones.
The RAF also hit ‘‘several key targets’’ at the Abs airfield, after intelligence suggested it was a launch site for cruise missiles and drones.
The airfield serves Abs, a town on the northwest coast where civil conflict has in recent years overwhelmed hospitals and forced residents to flee their homes.
“In planning the strikes, particular care was taken to minimise any risks to civilians, and any such risks were mitigated further by the decision to conduct the strikes during the night,’’ the MoD said.
“The detailed results of the strikes are being assessed, but early indications are that the Houthis’ ability to threaten merchant shipping has taken a blow, and our commitment to protecting the sea-lanes, through which some 15 per cent of the world’s shipping passes and which is vital to the global economy, has been amply demonstrated.”
12:54 AM GMT
US 'will not hesitate' to strike again: Biden
Joe Biden has said that tonight’s strikes are a “clear message” to Houthi rebels and that he “will not hesitate” to strike the group again if necessary.
“Today, at my direction, US military forces—together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands — successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways,” he said.
‘‘These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea—including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history.
Mr Biden said that the West had been “united and resolute” in response to the attacks, including with an “extensive diplomatic campaign” of warnings to Houthis before the strikes took place.
“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” he said.
“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
12:50 AM GMT
PM calls strikes 'limited, necessary and proportionate'
Confirming British warplanes had conducted air strikes in Yemen, Rishi Sunak called the operation ‘‘limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence’’ against the ‘‘reckless actions’’ of Houthi rebels.
The UK and US had received non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Behrain, the Prime Minister confirmed.
Full statement from Rishi Sunak:
The Royal Air Force has carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“In recent months, the Houthi militia have carried out a series of dangerous and destabilising attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, threatening UK and other international ships, causing major disruption to a vital trade route and driving up commodity prices. Their reckless actions are risking lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
“Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week.
“This cannot stand. The United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade. We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping.
“The Royal Navy continues to patrol the Red Sea as part of the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian to deter further Houthi aggression, and we urge them to cease their attacks and take steps to de-escalate.”
12:33 AM GMT
Houthis had disrupted trade
These strikes mark the first US military response to what has been a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, claim to have been striking the narrow strip of sea between Yemen and east Africa in a bid to end Israel’s air and ground attacks in Gaza.
Since October 7 last year, the Houthis have fired more than 116 missiles and drones at vessels in the southern Red Sea.
Earlier this week they launched their largest and most complex attack yet: 21 missiles and drones were fired, including cruise and ballistic weapons. That attack was defeated.
Most of the drones and missiles were shot down by US Navy carrier fighters and US destroyers, but British warship HMS Diamond took down seven:
Read more expert commentary from Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy surface combatant captain: How US and British warships are taking the fight to the Houthis in the Red Sea
12:22 AM GMT
First picture from Yemen
12:16 AM GMT
Tomahawk missiles launched from warships
More than a dozen sites suspected of being used by the Houthis were bombed in the first strikes, officials told agency reporters.
Tomahawk missiles were launched from warships while fighter jets also led the attacks from the air, they said.
12:05 AM GMT
Houthis vow retaliation
Prior to the attacks, a senior Houthi official warned that any Western strikes would be met with more aggressive attacks.
“The retaliation to any American strike will not only be at the level of the current operation, which included more than 24 drones and multiple missiles, but will be larger,” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said.
Abdulsalam Jahaf, a member of the group’s security council, said the Houthis would “burn [US] battleships and all its bases and everyone who cooperates with it, no matter what the cost.
“Do the Americans, the British, and the Zionists expect that any hostile action against Yemen will distract us from defending Gaza?” he wrote on social media.
The Houthis, who seized much of Yemen in a civil war, had also vowed to attack ships linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports. However, many of the targeted ships have had no links to Israel.
11:58 PM GMT
Houthi official attacks ‘Zionist’ aggression
Raids were conducted on several Yemeni cities in the early hours of Friday, an official from the Houthi movement said.
“American-Zionist-British aggression against Yemen launches several raids on the capital, Sana’a, Hodeidah governorate, Saada, and Dhamar,” Houthi official Abdul Qader al-Mortada said on X.
11:40 PM GMT
Breaking news - strikes begin on Houthi targets
Britain and the US have begun air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, according to reports.
US officials have told Reuters that the joint military action has started in the Red Sea as the western allies respond to Houthi attacks on shipping routes.
We’re covering the latest developments and reaction.
