PrairiePundit

  The Hill: The U.S. military is striking radar sites operated by Yemen’s Houthi rebels after a merchant sailor and boat went missing in the Red Sea earlier this week. U.S. strikes have destroyed seven radars within Houthi territory, the military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The Associated Press reported that the military did not elaborate on how the sites were destroyed and did not immediately respond to questions. The radars “allow the Houthis to target maritime vessels and endanger commercial shipping,” CENTCOM said in a statement to the AP. The strikes are the latest development in the Red Sea, where the Houthis are striking ships in an attempt to stop the ongoing war in Gaza. Like other Iranian-backed groups, the Houthis are protesting Israel’s continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian militant group Hamas. The group has claimed it struck ships that provided Israel with aid in its ongoing military operation, while others have hit U.S. t...

 CBS News: An Iran -backed militia group in Iraq claimed responsibility Monday for a drone strike against a base in eastern Syria used by U.S. troops that killed six American-allied Kurdish fighters. The attack, which caused no American casualties, appeared to be the first significant response from what the U.S. calls Iran's proxy groups to U.S. airstrikes against the militias in the region. On Friday, the U.S. started striking the militias of an umbrella group known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq in response to those groups' stepped-up attacks on U.S. bases in the region — including the deadly drone strike on a base in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members on Jan. 28. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Monday that a drone struck a training ground the previous night at the al-Omar base in Syria's eastern province of Deir el-Zour. The SDF trains commandos there, and some of the roughly 900 U.S. troops deployed in Syria as part of the ongoing mission ...

 ABC News: US hits Houthi UAVs, ground control station in Yemen They presented an "imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy." Several ships have come under missile attacks from the Houthis as they transited the Red Sea.  See also: US Destroys Houthi Drones, Operations Site And Anti-Ship Missile And:  Iran-backed Houthi launch three attacks in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden as tensions escalate; US military responds

 AFP: The deputy leader of Yemen's presidential council said Thursday that its military forces need foreign assistance to launch a ground operation that would back US and UK air strikes against Huthi rebels. Aidarus al-Zubaidi, vice president of the Presidential Leadership Council based in the southern city of Aden, told AFP the aerial barrage alone was not enough to deter Huthi attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea. "An international and regional alliance is necessary to secure international navigation in the Red Sea," Zubaidi said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Zubaidi said a Saudi-led military intervention launched in support of the government in 2015, which has also involved air strikes, had been "insufficient" to deter the Huthis. "Ground forces must be supported on the ground, and these forces belong to the legitimate government," he said. "These forces are the ones who can achieve a victory on the grou...

 Business Insider: The US and UK air strikes have cut off key supply lines from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen, Bloomberg reported , citing Western officials. The sources, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, told the outlet that Iran has not been able to replenish Houthi rebels with weaponry via sea routes since the strikes. The report referred to the US and the UK strikes on January 9 and January 11 . US warships and the UK's HMS Diamond shot down 21 drones and missiles fired toward international shipping lanes on January 9, CENTCOM reported at the time. And on January 11, air strikes targeted Houthi radar stations, storage facilities, and launch sites for drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, an unnamed US defense official told Business Insider. "Degrading these capabilities hinders the Houthis' ability to continue their malign behavior in the future," they said. The efforts appear to have paid off, at least in the short term, as US and UK off...

 NY Times: From the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war nearly 100 days ago, U.S. President Joe Biden and his aides have struggled to keep the war contained, fearful that a regional escalation could quickly draw in U.S. forces. Now, with the U.S.-led strikes on nearly 30 sites in Yemen on Thursday and a smaller strike Friday, there is no longer a question of whether there will be a regional conflict. It has already begun. The biggest questions now are the conflict’s intensity and whether it can be contained. This is exactly the outcome no one wanted, presumably including Iran. “We’re not interested in a war with Yemen. We’re not interested in a conflict of any kind,” John Kirby, a White House spokesperson, said Friday. “In fact everything the president has been doing has been trying to prevent any escalation of conflict, including the strikes last night.” Biden’s decision to unleash airstrikes, after resisting calls to act against the Yemen-based Houthi militants whose repeated attac...

  DC Dialy Journal: ... In response to a wave of assaults on commercial ships, the United States and the United Kingdom launched reprisal attacks against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are backed by Iran, late Thursday evening local time in Washington, D.C., according to the White House. On Thursday, the United States military announced that the Houthis had carried out 27 drone and missile assaults on commercial ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis claim these attacks are in response to Israel’s battle against Hamas in Gaza. In what the White House described as a first for the United States since the Houthis started attacking international shipping in late 2023, U.S. and U.K. military assets—along with those of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands—struck “a number of targets” in Yemen early on Friday before dawn. This action is a direct reaction to the extraordinary actions taken by the Houthis against international marine vessels in the R...

 National Review: The U.S. launched its second round of air strikes against Houthi militants in two days, following Thursday’s coordinated air and naval assault on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. The latest retaliatory strike bombed a radar facility, U.S. Central Command confirmed Friday evening, as part of a smaller-scale attack on Houthi targets. “This strike was conducted by the USS Carney (DDG 64) using Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and was a follow-on action on a specific military target associated with strikes taken on Jan. 12 designed to degrade the Houthi’s ability to attack maritime vessels, including commercial vessels,” the statement read. The Houthis fired one anti-ship ballistic missile at a commercial vessel on Thursday before getting hit by the first round of U.S.-led air strikes. The latest development in the Middle East comes as President Joe Biden warns the Houthis that the U.S. and its allies are prepared to strike Yemen again if the Iran-backed militia persi...

 UPI: Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Tuesday launched what the U.S. military described as "a complex attack" involving missiles and drones in the Red Sea, further raising already high tensions in the Middle East. The attack occurred at about 9:15 a.m. local time, with Iran-designed one-way attack drones and anti-ship cruise and ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward dozens of shipping vessels transiting the Red Sea, U.S. Central Command said in a statement published on X. There were no indications that any shipping vessels were damaged in the volley, with U.S. and British warships shooting down 18 drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles and an anti-ship ballistic missile, it said. This is the 26th Houthi attack on Red Sea commercial shipping lanes since Nov. 19. The Houthi rebels have vowed to attack all Israel-bound ships transiting the important trade route that accounts for between 10% and 15% of global trade in response over the Middle Easte...

 Telegraph: Britain is considering air strikes on Houthi rebels as the Defence Secretary warns that the UK will not hesitate to take “direct action” over their attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea . The UK is drawing up plans with the US for potential military strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen to counter their attacks on shipping which are causing chaos on world trade routes. Writing in The Telegraph , Grant Shapps warns the Houthis that Britain is willing to act to deter threats. The US and UK are preparing an unprecedented joint statement that could be issued as early as Monday giving the Houthis a final warning to stop their attacks. The Telegraph understands that any attack would likely be led by the US. It would be a major escalation of the response to the Houthis and discussions are under way for other countries to join the US and the UK. ... The current defensive measures have not been enough to deter the attacks.  I think that both the US and Brit...

 Wall Street Journal: U.S. Vows Naval Forces to Protect Ships Passing Through Suez Canal Pentagon unveils multinational operation to protect merchant ships from Houthi rebels after BP, Maersk started diverting vessels The U.S. unveiled a multinational naval force to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea after Houthi rebel attacks threatened the Suez Canal’s central role in global trade. On Monday, the Pentagon said it was establishing a security operation to protect seaborne traffic from ballistic missiles and drone attacks launched by the Houthi groups in Yemen. The effort, called Operation Prosperity Guardian, will include the U.K., Bahrain, France, Norway and other countries. Many of the world’s biggest shipping lines, oil producers and other cargo owners in recent days started diverting vessels from the region, prompting a spike in oil prices and insurance rates. “This is an international problem. And it deserves an international response,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin...

 Politico: Top Biden administration officials are actively weighing options to strike back at Houthis in Yemen after the Iran-backed group launched new attacks on naval and commercial ships in the Red Sea on Saturday, according to two U.S. officials. The Pentagon has in recent days moved the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group from the Persian Gulf into the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Yemen, to support a potential U.S. response to attacks, said one of the officials, both of whom were granted anonymity to speak about sensitive plans. The military has also provided options to commanders to strike the Houthis, the official said. The Biden administration has been reluctant to respond militarily against the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in recent weeks for fear of provoking Iran, which backs Hamas and Hezbollah in Yemen as well as the Houthis. Previously, the Pentagon had recommended the administration not do so. But a significant uptick in attacks in recent days could...

 American Action News: A U.S. warship operating in the Red Sea engaged a wave of suicide drones on Saturday launched from Yemen, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. The 14 one-way attack drones were assessed to have originated from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, CENTCOM said, but did not directly confirm whether the Iran-backed militia intended to target the U.S. destroyer. Sending a “drone wave” near U.S. warships would signal an escalation, as similar incidents in recent weeks have involved the U.S.S. Carney and other warships downing one or two drones threatening the vessels at a time. “In the early morning hours of December 16 (Sanna time) the US Arliegh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS CARNEY (DDG 64), operating in the Red Sea, successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems launched as a drone wave from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” the statement read. No damage to the ship occurred and there were no injuries immediately reported, CENTCOM sai...

 Business Insider: The US Naval Academy's football team didn't get a win on Saturday, but thousands of miles away, there's one American warship that's on an impressive hot streak. USS Carney is undefeated — by a margin of 22-0 — against the missiles and drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels since the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer deployed to Middle Eastern waters in October, according to a video shared to social media by the US Navy during Saturday's Army-Navy football game, which saw the Black Knights defeat the Midshipmen 17-11. The video features a brief message from Cmdr. Jeremy Robertson, the Carney's commanding officer, who asks if the Midshipmen are ready to "get in the fight." It then includes footage of multiple missiles launched from the Carney during separate engagements, although it's not clear when, exactly, they took place. The video ends with text that says the destroyer is "22-0," and a collection of crew members sh...

 AP: An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said, potentially marking a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war. “We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon said. The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating. The Pentagon did not identify where it believed the fire came from. However, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel as it wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Y...

 Business Insider: Yemen's Houthi rebels are using the Israel-Hamas war to show off their growing arsenal, and US warships are in the crossfire The Yemen-based Ansarullah movement, commonly known as the Houthi rebels, has launched three missile and drone attacks at Israel in recent weeks, adding to the aerial fray in the region amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas. The Houthi attacks are an unprecedented demonstration of the group's formidable arsenal, which has grown in size and sophistication and could present a potent threat to US warships operating in strategically valuable waterways around the Arabian Peninsula. The initial Houthi attack was reported on October 19, when US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Carney shot down four cruise missiles and 15 drones as they flew north over the Red Sea, most likely toward Israel. Saudi Arabia, which until recently fought a years-long war against the Houthis, reportedly intercepted a fifth missile fired from Yemen that day. Th...

 Daily Wire: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that it had struck more than 11,000 terrorist targets inside Gaza since Hamas launched an unprecedented terrorist attack against Israel back in early October. The IDF has lost some 326 soldiers — including 11 who were killed on Tuesday as the IDF moved through Gaza ridding the area of terrorists from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad — since the October 7 attack in which 1,400 Israelis were murdered, more than 5,300 were injured, and 220+ were kidnapped. The exact number of terrorists that have been terminated is unknown since many of them are buried in the underground tunnels that they created to hide their weapons and movements. The IDF said in a statement late on Tuesday that its forces had eliminated approximately 50 terrorists in a single stronghold in northern Gaza. The total likely number of terrorists that have been killed at this point runs well into the hundreds, if not the thousands. ... Israel deployed ...

 Business Insider: Western militaries have been regularly raiding boats attempting to smuggle weapons from Iran to Yemen, seizing massive amounts of explosives, guns, and ammunition. These raids, Middle East and Iran experts say, are a coordinated effort designed to put pressure on Iran and derail its malign plans in the region. Over the last few months, US Central Command has revealed a series of raids carried out by US or partner forces on boats, often derelict fishing ships, travelling along routes that have historically been used to traffic weapons illegally from Iran to Houthi rebels engaged in a civil war against Yemen's internationally recognized government. The Iran-backed Houthis have fought for years against Yemen, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, in a brutal conflict that experts have often characterized as a proxy war between regional foes Iran and Saudi Arabia — both vying for influence. A fragile truce has kept tensions simmering for months, but the devastating war h...

 CNN: The US Navy assisted the French military in seizing thousands of assault rifles and half a million rounds of ammunition that were heading to Yemen from Iran in January, the US military confirmed on Wednesday. The seizure in the Gulf of Oman occurred on January 15, according to 5th Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Tim Hawkins. “US 5th Fleet assets assisted partner maritime forces in the interdiction by sharing information and helping coordinate the overall effort,” Hawkins said. “We also ultimately took custody of the confiscated weapons through a ship-to-ship transfer with partner forces.” A US official confirmed to CNN that the French military was the partner force in question. US Central Command confirmed on Wednesday that more than 3,000 assault rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition, and 23 anti-tank guided missiles were seized last month. CENTCOM personnel “provided valuable and timely information to international forces conducting the interdiction,” the release says, “and helped co...

 DailyWire: A group of Iranian-backed extremists, which Democrat President Joe Biden removed from the official Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, claimed credit on Friday for an attack on Saudi energy facilities. “At (1725), Saudi Aramco’s Bulk Plant in Jeddah was targeted with an act of aggression, the early indications of which suggest that it was targeted by the terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia,” the Saudi Press Agency said in a statement. “A fire erupted in (2) tanks in the oil facility; the fire was controlled, and no injuries or loss of life were recorded. This hostile escalation targets oil facilities, and aims to undermine energy security and the backbone of global economy. These hostile attacks had no impact or repercussions in any way, shape or form on public life in Jeddah City.” The attacks came as Jeddah is hosting the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will go ahead as planned this weekend. The Houthi extremists later claimed responsibility fo...