logo
Israel targets Yemen's Houthis with airstrikes after missile launched by rebel group

Israel targets Yemen's Houthis with airstrikes after missile launched by rebel group

NBC News13 hours ago
Israel's military launched airstrikes early Monday targeting ports and facilities held by Yemen's Houthi rebels, with the rebels responding with missile fire targeting Israel.
The attacks came after an attack Sunday targeting a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea that caught fire and took on water, later forcing its crew to abandon the vessel.
Suspicion for the attack on the Greek-owned bulk carrier Magic Seas immediately fell on the Houthis, particularly as a security firm said bomb-carrying drone boats appeared to hit the ship after it was targeted by small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. The rebels' media reported on the attack but did not claim it. It can take them hours or even days before they acknowledge an assault.
A renewed Houthi campaign against shipping could again draw in U.S. and Western forces to the area, particularly after President Donald Trump targeted the rebels in a major airstrike campaign.
The ship attack comes at a sensitive moment in the Middle East, as a possible ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war hangs in the balance and as Iran weighs whether to restart negotiations over its nuclear program following American airstrikes targeting its most-sensitive atomic sites during an Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also was traveling to Washington to meet with Trump.
Israeli strikes target Houthi-held ports
The Israeli military said it struck Houthi-held ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa and Salif, as well as the Ras Kanatib power plant. It released footage showing an F-16 launching from Israel for the strike, which came after the Israeli military issued a warning for the area.
"These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies," the Israeli military said.
The Israeli military also said it struck the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle-carrying vessel that the Houthis seized back in November 2023 when they began their attacks in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war.
"Houthi forces installed a radar system on the ship and have been using it to track vessels in the international maritime arena to facilitate further terrorist activities," the Israeli military said.
The Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader was affiliated with an Israeli billionaire. It said no Israelis were on board. The ship had been operated by a Japanese firm NYK Line.
The Houthis acknowledged the strikes, but offered no damage assessment from the attack. Their military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed its air defense forces "effectively confronted" the Israelis without offering evidence.
Israel has repeatedly atacked Houthi areas in Yemen, including a naval strike in June. Both Israel and the United States have struck ports in the area in the past — including an American attack that killed 74 people in April — but Israel is now acting alone in attacking the rebels as they continue to fire missiles at Israel.
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened further strikes.
"What's true for Iran is true for Yemen," Katz said in a statement. "Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off. The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions."
The Houthis then responded with an apparent missile attack on Israel. The Israeli military said it attempted to intercept the two missiles launched by the Houthis, but they appeared to make impact, though no injuries have been reported. Sirens sounded in the West Bank and along the Dead Sea.
Ship attack forces crew to abandon vessel
The attack on the Magic Seas, a bulk carrier heading north to Egypt's Suez Canal, happened some 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, which is held by the Houthis. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center first said that an armed security team on the vessel had returned fire against an initial attack of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, though the vessel later was struck by projectiles.
Ambrey, a private maritime security firm, issued an alert saying a merchant ship had been "attacked by eight skiffs while transiting northbound in the Red Sea."
Ambrey later said the ship also had been attacked by bomb-carrying drone boats, which could be a major escalation. It said two drone boats struck the ship, while another two had been destroyed by the armed guards on board.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the ship was taking on water and its crew had abandoned the vessel. They were rescued by a passing ship, it added.
The U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet referred questions to the military's Central Command, which said it was aware of the incident without elaborating.
Moammar al-Eryani, the information minister for Yemen's exiled government opposing the Houthis, identified the vessel attacked as the Magic Seas and blamed the rebels. The ship had been broadcasting it had an armed security team on board in the vicinity the attack took place and had been heading north.
"The attack also proves once again that the Houthis are merely a front for an Iranian scheme using Yemen as a platform to undermine regional and global stability, at a time when Tehran continues to arm the militia and provide it with military technology, including missiles, aircraft, drones, and sea mines," al-Eryani wrote on the social platform X.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump announces 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea
Trump announces 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea

South Wales Argus

time28 minutes ago

  • South Wales Argus

Trump announces 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea

The tariffs are set to go into effect on August 1. Mr Trump provided notice by posting letters on Truth Social that were addressed to the leaders of the various countries. US President Donald Trump waves to the media after exiting Air Force One (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) The letters warned them to not retaliate by increasing their own import taxes, or else the Trump administration would further increase tariffs. 'If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,' Mr Trump wrote in the letters to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. The letters were not the final word from Mr Trump on tariffs, so much as another episode in a global economic drama in which he has placed himself at the centre. His moves have raised fears that economic growth would slow to a trickle, if not make the US and other nations more vulnerable to a recession. But Mr Trump is confident that tariffs are necessary to bring back domestic manufacturing and fund the tax cuts he signed into law last Friday. He mixed his sense of aggression with a willingness to still negotiate, signalling the likelihood that the drama and uncertainty would continue and that few things are ever final with Mr Trump. Imports from Myanmar and Laos would be taxed at 40%, South Africa at 30% and Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Tunisia at 25%. Shoppers browse electric rice cookers imported from Japan and South Korea at a US department store (Nam Y Huh/AP) Mr Trump placed the word 'only' before revealing the rate in his letters to the foreign leaders, implying that he was being generous with his tariffs. Mr Trump still has outstanding differences on trade with the European Union and India, among other trading partners. Tougher talks with China are on a longer time horizon in which imports from that nation are being taxed at 55%.

Israel bombs hijacked Brit ship Galaxy Leader seized by Houthis in devastating wave of airstrikes against terror group
Israel bombs hijacked Brit ship Galaxy Leader seized by Houthis in devastating wave of airstrikes against terror group

Scottish Sun

time35 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Israel bombs hijacked Brit ship Galaxy Leader seized by Houthis in devastating wave of airstrikes against terror group

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ISRAEL has bombed the hijacked Brit ship Galaxy Leader seized by Houthis in devastating wave of airstrikes. The car carrier was snatched by the terror group when crack troops swooped onto it with a helicopter in November 2023. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Israel has bombed the hijacked Brit ship Galaxy Leader Credit: AP 7 Houthi followers hold a cutout banner portraying the Galaxy Leader cargo ship which was seized by Houthis Credit: Reuters 7 An Israeli fighter jet getting prepared for airstrikes targeting Yemen Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 7 The Galaxy Leader is owned by a British company, which is partially owned by Israeli tycoon Abraham Ungar. The militants had celebrated its capture as a war trophy - with Yemeni influencers visiting the vessel to show it off. The brutal attack on Sunday night involved around a whopping 50 missiles and bombs, according to the IDF. The Force added the attack was in response to relentless Houthi attacks on Israel. The IDF said: "The Houthi terrorist regime's forces installed a radar system on the ship, and are using it to track vessels in international maritime space in order to promote the Houthi terrorist regime's activities." The strikes were also said to have hit the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif, alongside the Ras Qantib power plant on the coast. A mere few hours later, two retaliation missiles were launched from Yemen, Israel said. Attempts were made to intercept them but the results were still under review. The Houthi group has continued to fire ballistic missiles at Israel since the tense ceasefire with Iran was reached. But the firing attempts are - most of the time - blasted singly, meaning Israel's Iron Dome is usually able to down them. Trump boasts 'Oops, there will be no attack' after US bombs Houthi terror soldiers 'preparing to fight' in drone strike In October, Houthi rebels forced hostages on board a hijacked British cargo ship to party on live TV as new satellite images reveal the vessel's movements. Footage shared on Yemen TV channels shows the captives watching a traditional knife dance as the guests of honour on the ship where they are being held hostage. Exclusive images provided to The Sun also showed the boat being brought back and forth from the shore by the Houthis. Satellite pics taken by company Maxar show the ship tied with its back to shore last April. The condition of the crew is dire as they face 'significant health issues" including malaria, a report claims. Most of the crew are from the Philippines, with three from Ukraine, two each from Bulgaria and Mexico, and one from Romania. The Houthis have sought to portray themselves as treating the hostages generously and have welcomed visits from the Red Cross and a top naval commander. But Filipino diplomatic sources have previously said they do not expect the captives to be released until Israel's war in Gaza is over. 7 Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea Credit: Reuters 7 The Galaxy Leader was covered in Green lights for the celebration 7 The crew was shown on local TV sitting on the boat watching a performance Credit: Twitter For about a dollar per trip, male-only groups of visitors can board wooden boats five times a week to marvel at the hijacked carrier. The Houthis, designated a "global terrorist" group by Washington, have previously draped it in Yemeni and Palestinian flags and anti-American and anti-Israeli banners. They have continued their campaign to disrupt trade in the Red Sea for almost a year now. Footage from earlier this month shows them sending an explosive-laden drone at a British oil tanker. They shared the clip of a big explosion near the side of the Cordelia Moon, which damaged its port side tank and covered it in clouds of smoke. Around 12 per cent of all global trade normally passes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the now-under-attack 20-mile-wide stretch of the Red Sea also known as the "Gate of Tears".

Trump announces 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea
Trump announces 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea

BreakingNews.ie

time37 minutes ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Trump announces 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea

US President Donald Trump has set a 25% tax on goods imported from Japan and South Korea, as well as new tariff rates on Malaysia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Laos, Myanmar and Tunisia. The tariffs are set to go into effect on August 1. Advertisement Mr Trump provided notice by posting letters on Truth Social that were addressed to the leaders of the various countries. US President Donald Trump waves to the media after exiting Air Force One (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) The letters warned them to not retaliate by increasing their own import taxes, or else the Trump administration would further increase tariffs. 'If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,' Mr Trump wrote in the letters to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. The letters were not the final word from Mr Trump on tariffs, so much as another episode in a global economic drama in which he has placed himself at the centre. Advertisement His moves have raised fears that economic growth would slow to a trickle, if not make the US and other nations more vulnerable to a recession. But Mr Trump is confident that tariffs are necessary to bring back domestic manufacturing and fund the tax cuts he signed into law last Friday. He mixed his sense of aggression with a willingness to still negotiate, signalling the likelihood that the drama and uncertainty would continue and that few things are ever final with Mr Trump. Imports from Myanmar and Laos would be taxed at 40%, South Africa at 30% and Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Tunisia at 25%. Advertisement Shoppers browse electric rice cookers imported from Japan and South Korea at a US department store (Nam Y Huh/AP) Mr Trump placed the word 'only' before revealing the rate in his letters to the foreign leaders, implying that he was being generous with his tariffs. Mr Trump still has outstanding differences on trade with the European Union and India, among other trading partners. Tougher talks with China are on a longer time horizon in which imports from that nation are being taxed at 55%.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store