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Russia has requested a special session of the UN Security Council because of the attacks on Houthi positions. Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice in the genocide case. The developments in the live blog.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has described the military strike by the US and allies against the Houthi militia in Yemen as a clear signal. “Today’s coalition deployment sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will pay a price if they do not stop their illegal attacks,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
“We will not hesitate to defend our armed forces, the global economy and the free flow of legitimate commerce on one of the world’s most important waterways,” Austin said.
After the military strike by the USA and its allies against the Houthis, China has called on all sides to show restraint. “China is concerned about the escalation of tensions in the Red Sea and calls on all parties involved to maintain calm and exercise restraint,” a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. China hopes that all parties concerned will play a constructive and responsible role in maintaining regional security and stability in the Red Sea.
One reason for China’s reluctance to take part in the action against the rebels could be the US leadership. Since the beginning of the Middle East war, Chinese state media has repeatedly picked up on and criticized the deployment of US warships to the region. At the same time, China maintains good relations with Iran, which is considered a supporter of the Houthis. However, China is also negatively affected economically by the militia’s attacks on cargo ships.
The British government has described the joint air strikes with the US on Houthi militia positions in Yemen as an “act of self-defense”. The aim was to prevent further attacks on ships in the region, including British warships, said State Secretary in the Ministry of Defense James Heappey to the BBC.
An escalation in the region must be avoided, he explained. The warning to the Houthis still applies. It will be seen whether the attacks on ships stop in the next few days. Great Britain is currently not planning any further immediate attacks on the Houthis.
The Houthi militia wants to continue targeting ships with alleged Israeli connections in the Red Sea even after the military strike by the USA and allies against their positions in Yemen. “There is absolutely no justification for the aggression against Yemen as there was no threat to international shipping in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea,” a rebel spokesman told Houthi television channel Al Massirah. The target continues to be “Israeli ships or those that call at the ports of occupied Palestine.”
Since the outbreak of the Middle East war between Israel and the militant Islamist Hamas, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships with alleged Israeli connections in the Red Sea. Large shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the important trade route. The militia also regularly attacks Israel directly with drones and rockets.
Russia has requested a special session of the UN Security Council for today because of the air strikes by the USA and its allies on the Houthi militia in Yemen. This was announced by the Russian mission to the United Nations in New York, as reported by the Interfax news agency. The meeting should begin at 3 p.m. local time in New York (9 p.m. CET), the representative wrote on the short message service Telegram.
France, which currently holds the Council Presidency, also announced that the emergency meeting should take place in the afternoon.
Iran has strongly condemned the military strike against the Houthi militia in Yemen, which is supported by the Islamic Republic. The attack was a clear violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a violation of international law, the state news agency Irna quoted foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani as saying. “These indiscriminate attacks will achieve no result other than stoking insecurity and instability in the region.”
The Hezbollah militia in Lebanon also condemned the attack. “The American aggression once again confirms that the United States is a full partner in the tragedies and massacres carried out by the Zionist enemy in the Gaza Strip and the region,” it said. Hezbollah is supported by Iran and has declared solidarity with the militant Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The military strike against the Houthis in Yemen, which the USA and Great Britain launched during the night with the support of allies, was carried out in accordance with the UN Charter, according to a joint statement. It is a reaction to the Houthis’ “illegal, dangerous and destabilizing” attacks on ships in the Red Sea and is based on the right of self-defense, says the joint statement, which is supported by the federal government.
“These precision strikes were intended to disrupt and weaken the Houthis’ ability to threaten global trade and the lives of international seafarers on one of the world’s most important waterways,” it said. The more than two dozen Houthi attacks on merchant ships since mid-November are an “international challenge.”
Israel will today make its first statement before the International Court of Justice on allegations of genocide in the Middle East war. Legal representatives in The Hague want to decisively reject South Africa’s lawsuit – and are already talking about unfounded accusations before the hearing. South Africa accuses Israel of systematically committing genocidal acts against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis have vowed revenge for the military strike. “America and Britain will have to be prepared to pay a heavy price,” a representative of the group said, according to Houthi television channel Al Massirah. Yemen was “under a massive aggressive attack from American and British ships, submarines and warplanes,” he was quoted as saying.
The US and Britain have bombed militia positions in Yemen in response to attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on merchant ships in the Red Sea. US President Joe Biden said the “successful” attacks hit a number of Houthi targets. It is a “direct response” to the “unprecedented” attacks by the Houthis on merchant ships – and a “clear message” that the USA and its partners “will not tolerate” such attacks.
According to a media report, Qatar is in talks with the militant Islamist Hamas to provide vital medicine to the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, Qatar is making progress in talks with Israel to enable more supplies of medicine for the civilian population of the Gaza Strip, the New York Times reported, citing informed sources. Many of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza for nearly 100 days suffered from illnesses such as cancer and diabetes and required regular medicine.
The USA sees no basis for South Africa’s accusation of genocide against Israel. The Israeli military says it is expanding its operations in Khan Yunis. All developments from Thursday to read.