U.S. fighter jets struck Houthi rebel sites in Yemen for the sixth time Friday, taking out anti-ship missile launchers that were prepared to fire, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations. The Iranian-backed Houthi militants say their attacks on global shipping in the Red Sea corridor are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Now in its fourth month, the war has raised the temperature on tensions across the Middle East. In Israel, a member of the country’s War Cabinet said only a cease-fire deal can win the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The televised comments by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday were the latest sign of a growing rift among political and military leaders over the direction of Israel’s war. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 24,400 Palestinians have died in the conflict, and the United Nations says a quarter of the 2.3 million people trapped in Gaza are starving. In Israel, around 1,200 people were killed during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that sparked the war and saw some 250 people taken hostage by militants.
Here’s the latest:
Quick Read
- U.S. Strikes on Houthi Rebels: U.S. fighter jets conducted their sixth strike on Houthi rebel sites in Yemen, targeting anti-ship missile launchers that were ready to fire.
- Background of the Houthi Attacks: The Iranian-backed Houthi militants claim their attacks on global shipping in the Red Sea are in response to Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
- Tensions in the Middle East: The war in Gaza, now in its fourth month, has escalated tensions across the Middle East.
- Israeli Political and Military Rift: In Israel, there’s a growing rift among political and military leaders over the direction of the war, with former army chief Gadi Eisenkot stating that only a cease-fire can secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
- Casualties in Gaza and Israel: Over 24,400 Palestinians have reportedly died in the Gaza conflict, with around 1,200 Israelis killed during the Hamas attack that initiated the war.
- Details of the U.S. Military Operation: The latest U.S. strike was conducted by F/A-18 aircraft from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The specific location of the strikes in Yemen was not immediately confirmed.
- Impact on Global Shipping: Despite ongoing U.S. and British military efforts, the Houthi rebels’ attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continue, causing disruptions in global shipping routes.
- Houthis’ Stated Motive: The Houthis assert that their attacks are intended to disrupt Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.
The Associated Press has the story:
US jets strike Yemen a 6th time as Israel’s war in Gaza raises regional tensions
Newslooks- WASHINGTON —(AP)
U.S. fighter jets struck Houthi rebel sites in Yemen for the sixth time Friday, taking out anti-ship missile launchers that were prepared to fire, according to a U.S. official.
The official said the strikes were carried out by F/A-18 aircraft off the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations.
Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said Friday that there were air raids in the western port city of Hodieda on Friday, targeting the al-Jabaana neighborhood in the west of the city. The location of the U.S. strikes could not be immediately confirmed.
The strikes come as President Joe Biden acknowledged Thursday that the bombardment of Houthi sites, including last Friday’s massive array of strikes by U.S. and British forces, has yet to stop the Iranian-backed militants’ attacks on vessels in the Red Sea that have disrupted global shipping.
The Houthis say their attacks are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Currently:
— Analysis: Simmering conflicts reach a boil as the Mideast remains unsettled by Israel’s war on Hamas
— Rifts emerge among top Israeli officials over how to handle the war against Hamas in Gaza
— Israel cancelled a preemptive strike against Hezbollah early in the Gaza war, top official says.
— Now eyeing a longer haul, the US reshuffles its warships in the Mediterranean.
— Another Turkish soccer club ends its contract with an Israeli player over his posting on Gaza hostages.
— Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
