Airstrikes targeting Houthis in Yemen were conducted as a means of "self-defense," UK prime minister says
The United States and United Kingdom airstrikes targeting Houthis in Yemen were an act of “self-defense,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Friday. “Our aim is very clear. It's to deescalate tensions and to restore stability to the region. That's why allies over the past few weeks have issued several statements of condemnation of what's happening, calling on the Houthis to desist,” Sunak told journalists during a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine.
He also noted the United Nations Security Council resolution that condemned Houthis' attacks in the Red Sea, "saying that states have a right to self-defense. We have acted in self-defense.” Sunak said the Houthi attacks were risking innocent lives, disrupting the global economy and destabilizing the region. "We need to send a strong signal that this breach of international law is wrong. People can't act like this with impunity and that's why together with allies, we've decided to take this action,” he said.
US and UK strikes in Yemen were “necessary, proportionate, and targeted action against military targets to degrade and disrupt Houthi capability,” he added. Initial indications showed that the strikes were successful, he said, adding that “we'll continue to monitor the situation."
Five dead, Houthis say: The strikes killed five and wounded six others, according to the Houthi rebels' military spokesperson, Yahya Sare’e, on Friday. The Houthi spokesperson also said that they would continue their recent aggression against commercial ships in the Red Sea, with its leader calling the strikes “barbaric.” The Yemeni armed forces confirm that they will continue to prevent Israeli ships going to the ports of occupied Palestine from navigation in the Arab and Red Seas,” Sare’e stated.
Crude oil prices rise Friday after attacks on Houthi targets
Crude oil prices were up more than 2.5% on Friday after the United States and United Kingdom launched joint strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
The global economy has been served a series of painful reminders of the importance of disruption in the Red Sea, through which 12% of global trade flows, including 30% of global container traffic.
Protests break out in Yemen after US-UK attacks
Tens of thousands of Yemenis gatherer in several cities to hear their leaders condemn US and British strikes on their country in response to attacks by Houthis on Red Sea shipping. “Your strikes on Yemen are terrorism,” said Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, referring to the US. “The United States is the Devil.”
Protest in New York over US bombing of Yemen
Anti-war protesters have rallied in New York to protest the US and UK attacks on Yemen.
Video clips shared on social media show the protesters gathering in Times Square holding placards calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine and for the US bombing of Yemen to stop. The protesters chanted, “Hands off the Middle East”, “Hands off Yemen” and “Hands off Gaza”.
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