Headlines 13 Jan 24

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January 13, 2024

prepared on 12 Jan 24 for release on 13 Jan 24

How Houthi 'Hornet's Nest' May Sting US (NewsWeek)

The militaries of the U.S. and its allies are preparing for potential Houthi escalation after overnight airstrikes on the Yemeni rebel group, which for months has been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea and launching ballistic missiles towards Israel.

The U.S. Air Force's Mideast command said it struck over 60 targets at 16 sites in Yemen, including "command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems."

A senior U.S. defense official told journalists late on Thursday: "This was a significant action and conducted with every objective and every expectation that will degrade in a significant way the Houthis' capability to launch exactly the sorts of attacks that they have conducted over the period of recent weeks."

 

Progressive Democrats fume over Houthi strikes as Republicans offer rare praise (BBC)

Progressive Democrats have harshly criticised the US decision to launch retaliatory strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

They argued, with support from some Republicans, that President Joe Biden violated the US Constitution by not seeking congressional approval first.

But several Republicans offered rare praise of the administration, calling it an "overdue" act of deterrence. The president on Thursday called the precision strikes a "defensive action".

In a joint statement with coalition partners - the UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands - the White House said it had acted "in accordance with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense, consistent with the UN charter".

 

US not looking for war in Yemen with Houthi strikes - White House (BBC)

In Yemen, the joint US-UK strikes have dominated media reporting today. The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV channel broadcast rolling coverage of reaction and commentary - including of huge demonstrations held in the capital Sanaa and other cities, with protesters chanting pro-Palestinian and anti-US slogans.

Houthi officials were swift to condemn the strikes, which they described as an act of “idiocy” and “aggression”, aiming to “protect Israel” and “stop Yemen from supporting Palestinians”.

The group’s officials have reiterated their vow to respond to the strikes, and to deny passage to ships “linked with Israel” until humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza.

 

Strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen show war in Gaza has already spread elsewhere in the Middle East. (BBC)

It has already happened. Hopes for containing what is happening rest on the fact that it is still relatively low-level, compared to the worst-case scenarios of regional war.

The US and British attacks on the Houthis in Yemen are not just, as ministers in London have suggested, about the freedom of navigation and world trade. They are directly linked to events in Gaza and represent an escalation of the crisis that is gripping the region.

The Houthis immediately vowed to respond. It is also entirely possible that pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria will increase the action they are taking against the American forces in the region. Houthi targets in Yemen show war in Gaza has already spread

 

Austin was integral to Houthi strike despite hospitalization, officials say (Politico)

The U.S. on Thursday launched the most significant strikes against Iranian-backed proxies in the Middle East since President Joe Biden took office — and it did it all the while the nation’s top military leader was in a hospital bed.

 

US warns ships to stay out of parts of Red Sea as Houthi rebels vow retaliation for US, UK strikes (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. Navy on Friday warned American-flagged vessels to stay out of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours after the U.S. and Britain launched multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels.

The warning in a notice to shippers came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed fierce retaliation for the U.S.-led strikes, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel’s war in Gaza. The White House said the U.S. expects the Houthis to try to strike back.

 

Houthis Undeterred After US Coalition Pummels Over 60 Targets With Tomahawk Missiles, Airstrikes (ZeroHedge)

The Thursday night US and UK-led major strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, while posing a significant risk for escalating the Gaza war into a regional conflict, still apparently have not deterred the Iran-backed rebel group's resolve to attack Red Sea shipping and even Western naval vessels.

Houthi spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree released a videotaped address saying "The American and British enemy bears full responsibility for its criminal aggression against our Yemeni people, and it will not go unanswered and unpunished." Houthi sources have tallied over 70 strikes across five regions of Yemen, indicating that at least five people died in the attacks. The Pentagon indicated over 100 missiles of a variety of types were used.

 

Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking Red Sea ships? (BBC)

The attacks began after the start of the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October. The Houthis declared their support for Hamas and said they would target any ship travelling to Israel. It is not clear that all of the ships attacked were actually heading there.

In November they seized what they said was an Israeli cargo ship. They since have attacked several commercial vessels with drones and ballistic missiles. Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have increased 500% between November and December. The threat has become so great that major shipping companies have ceased sailing in the region and insurance costs have risen 10-fold since early December.

Major shipping firms including Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and the oil company BP have all said they are diverting vessels away from the Red Sea.

 

What Do You Call A War With China Plus A War With Russia Plus A Colossal War In The Middle East? (InfoWars)

Did you see that we just bombed the Houthis?  Each new day in 2024 seems to bring some sort of a new escalation, and for now most Americans can ignore all of the fighting because it is all happening on the other side of the globe.  But how are they going to feel when the U.S. is actively engaged in multiple wars simultaneously and those wars are directly affecting daily life inside the United States?  The time to speak out against the foolish policies of our leaders is before the entire world is engulfed in flames.  Once thousands of missiles start flying, it will be too late.

Most Americans don’t realize this, but this weekend Taiwan will hold an election which may determine whether the U.S. and China go to war. In fact, China has literally framed this election as “a choice between war and peace”…

 

U.S. On Verge Of Full War In Middle East (InfoWars)

 

Middle East braces for chaos as Iran and West square up (Politico)

Western warplanes and guided missiles roared through the skies over Yemen in the early hours of Friday in a dramatic response to the worsening crisis engulfing the region, where the U.S. and its allies are facing a direct confrontation with Iranian-backed militants.

The strikes against Houthi fighters are a response to weeks of fighting in the Red Sea, where the group has attempted to attack or hijack dozens of civilian cargo ships and tankers in what it calls retribution for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Washington launched the massive aerial bombardment of the group’s military stores and drone launch sites in partnership with British forces, and with the support of a growing coalition that includes Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Bahrain.

 

Threat alert for U.S. is again ‘blinking red’ in Gaza (WashTimes)

The Finns, NATO’s newest members, are known for their bravery, grit, and tenacious spirit of independence. There’s a saying in Finland: “Vahinko ei tule kello kaulassa” — which means “Accidents don’t come with a bell around their neck.” Finns justifiably pride themselves on being prepared when life unexpectedly breaks bad, such as when the Soviets invaded in 1939 or when the Finnish Meteorological Institute first detected radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.

One of my mentors at the CIA used to remind younger officers, especially when we were running top-secret operations, that the only thing we could control was our preparation. We might not be able to spot distant threats with perfect clarity, but being sensitive even to the general contours of hazards on the horizon would ensure safer passage through dangerous battlespace.

 

India flexes maritime muscles by boosting Arabian Sea force (AFP)

Dramatic drone footage showing Indian commandos hunting pirates after an attack in the Arabian Sea illustrates New Delhi's "significant" expansion of a muscular maritime force reflecting global ambitions, analysts say.

The commandos, deployed this month from an Indian-built warship after an attempted hijacking of a merchant bulk carrier, are part of a major increase of naval forces in seas where rival neighbour China has already long expanded its reach.

"It's significant given the geopolitical context" and the aggressive "use of naval assets", said Uday Bhaskar, head of the New Delhi-based Society for Policy Studies think tank.

 

Russian Army HQ Burns Down in Chechnya, Saboteurs Claim (NewsWeek)

Rospartizan, an anti-war, anti-Putin Russian network that has claimed several incidents of sabotage against Moscow since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, said the headquarters of the country's 70th motorized rifle regiment burnt down in a fire on Thursday.

The group, which describes itself as consisting of Russian activists, military members, and politicians who are "now fighters and partisans," wrote on Telegram that news of the incident was first reported by the Sorokin Hvost channel on the social media platform. According to Sorokin Hvost, all the documents inside the headquarters were obliterated in the fire, while cars parked nearby were also damaged.

Reports of the fire at the headquarters, located in the city of Shali in Chechnya, were shared on the social media platform by several accounts but were not confirmed by Russian authorities. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Chechen Republic is yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

 

Ukraine Gets Double Boost from NATO Allies (NewsWeek)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will end the week having secured two new military aid commitments from NATO allies, though Kyiv is still waiting for a major American package stranded on the Hill by partisan gridlock.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Friday to announce a new cooperation deal with Ukraine as well as some $3.2 billion in fresh funding. A significant portion of that will be dedicated to drones, which have become a key battlefield weapon.

Sunak's latest commitment comes shortly after Zelensky's productive trip to NATO's Baltic states rounded off with a new aid package from Latvia that will include artillery weapons and munitions, as well as a plan to train more Ukrainian troops.

"Our Western allies are determined to provide the necessary military aid because they understand that this year might be difficult and crucial for Ukraine," Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and chair of the body's foreign affairs committee, told Newsweek.

 

A New Kind of “Domino Effect” Changes Africa’s Orbit (ZeroHedge)

According to a recent Council of Foreign Relations report, Russia’s growing influence results from a massive disinformation campaign. Those who read the report with an objective eye will quickly notice the earmarks of America’s disinformation campaign against the Russians. Where Russia-Africa relations are concerned, CFR and other sources cite Wagner PMC, weapons trade, and some form of Russian neocolonialism as major factors of the so-called “Russia shift.” That notorious “domino effect” Washington used to justify the Vietnam War appears to already be in motion in Africa for an altogether different effect.

 

Israel says South Africa distorting the truth in ICJ genocide case (BBC)

Israel has said South Africa has distorted the truth in its case at the International Court of Justice, where it is accusing Israel of genocide.

South Africa had presented "a sweeping counter-factual description" of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Israeli lawyer Tal Becker told the ICJ. South Africa says Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in its war in Gaza. It is also asking the court to order Israel to halt its military activity.

The ICJ is the United Nations' highest court. Its rulings are theoretically legally binding on parties to the ICJ - which include Israel and South Africa - but are not enforceable. Israel delivered its defence to the court a day after South Africa presented its case.

‘This used to be a calm place’: killing continues in Ecuador’s week of chaos (Guardian)

Political upheaval and street protests, gun battles and floods. José Luis Calderón has seen it all during his 23 years as one of Guayaquil’s top television journalists. Never had the Ecuadorean reporter been the story himself.

That changed just after lunch last Tuesday when the 47-year-old reporter heard shouts and the sound of people running in the corridors of TC Televisión, the channel where he works. “At first … we thought it was a fight,” he remembered. But as the yelling intensified, it became clear it was not.

 

Texas Seizes Control Of Border City Park, Escalating War Against Illegal Immigration (InfoWars)

In its latest assertion of sovereignty and responsibility for securing its border with Mexico, the once and future Republic of Texas has seized control of a 47-acre park in the city of Eagle Pass, which has been a major avenue of illegal immigration.

What’s more, the Texans are barring US Border Patrol agents and watercraft from the property, which they’ve used as a staging area for processing migrants. “They are denying entry to Border Patrol agents to conduct our duties,” a federal official told CBS News, who wondered “what authority (Texas officials) have over the federal government.” Texans are increasingly wondering about the opposite question. 

Via an emergency declaration from Governor Greg Abbott, Shelby Park, which abuts the Rio Grande, is now controlled by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and National Guard units. Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr told reporters he learned about the move just shortly before it happened, via a phone call from a DPS official who informed him the state was taking “full control” of the recreational park “indefinitely.”