Houthi rebels claim to have attacked US warships three times in the past 24 hours, led by the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier, with drones and cruise missiles in the Red Sea, Yemen’s Saba news agency said on Wednesday, after American strikes killed at least four.
The Houthi operations came after the Ministry of Health and Environment reported four Yemeni civilians killed and two injured as a result of US attacks. The rebel group said the US strikes breach international law and constitute a "war crime".
Houthi-affiliated media reported strikes on water infrastructure in Hodeidah, the north-western region of Hajjah and in the group's stronghold of Saada. Washington has not commented on these raids.
US President Donald Trump ordered attacks on the Houthis last month, vowing to "annihilate" the Iran-backed rebels, after the group inflicted numerous attacks on international ships and Israel. Mr Trump warned raids would continue until the Houthis are no longer a threat to "freedom of navigation" in the Red Sea.
"The choice for the Houthis is clear: stop shooting at US ships and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran." Mr Trump said in the post on X.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has stationed more forces in the Middle East, as well as the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group and military aircraft. The USS Carl Vinson will arrive in the region after completing exercises in the Indo-Pacific, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said.
The Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea since November 2023, a month after the Israel-Gaza war began. More than 100 merchant ships have been hit with drones and missiles, in what they described an act of outward solidarity with Gazans in the enclave.
The attacks stopped during a temporary truce between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, which started on January 19, but resumed after the ceasefire collapsed on March 18. However, the Houthis have vowed to press ahead with its Red Sea operations. "These operations will not stop until the aggression against Gaza stops and the [Israeli] siege is lifted," a statement from rebel group read.
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
