How the Israel-Hamas war sidelined other world hot spots
Every administration has to readjust to respond to world events, but the Israel-Hamas conflict has been particularly disruptive to Bidenโs other foreign policy efforts.
Houthis
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Target Iran: Israel seizes its moment to reshape the Middle East
Prime Minister Netanyahu warns Iran’s clerics their days are numbered and boasts there is “nowhere” Israel cannot target.
Washington is glad Nasrallah is gone, but bracing for more violence
The White Houseโs initial reaction to the news was positive, even as it scrambled to figure out if this could spur wider war in the Middle East.
US officials expect significant escalation between Israel and Hezbollah
Some U.S. officials say diplomacy may still work to de-escalate tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. Others arenโt so sure.
Does America want Ukraine to defeat Russia? It doesnโt look that way.
The presidentโs foreign policy legacy will be shaped by a looming decision in Ukraine.
The Red Sea: Time for Indiaโs Modi to step in
Nothing the West says or does will convince the Houthis to halt their campaign. But the Indian prime minister is perfectly suited to the task.
Netanyahu vows โheavy priceโ for Houthis after missile hits central Israel
The strike was the first time a missile fired by the Houthi rebels had reached that far into the country.
EU-led rescue mission for Houthi-hit ship off Yemen โabout to beginโ
A rescue mission for an oil tanker still ablaze after being attacked by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen last month, is about to begin, the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission said late Monday (2 September).
Why energy is Israelโs weak spot
As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, keeping the lights on is becoming a national security priority.
Why your coffee got so damn expensive
Blame the underwater drones.
Cost rising for US as it fights off Houthi drones
U.S. forces have launched roughly 800 missiles and seven rounds of air strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels that have controlled Yemen since November.
US troops injured in attack in Iraq as tensions in region increase
Rockets struck the Al-Asad Airbase.
US shifts aircraft carrier to Middle East amid fears Iran may attack Israel
Pentagon deploys the USS Abraham Lincoln, currently operating in the Pacific, to the Middle East along with additional fighter planes.
Iran, its proxies will meet to discuss retaliation against Israel
Top Iranian officials will meet the representatives of Iran’s regional allies from Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen to discuss potential retaliation against Israel after the killing of the Hamas leader in Tehran, five sources told Reuters.
US bets on Gaza cease-fire talks as assassinations tilt Mideast toward bigger war
American officials donโt seem to have a realistic plan B and are not thrilled with Israelโs suspected actions.
Biden expected to take tougher tone with Netanyahu in high-stakes meeting
The Israeli prime minister is also set to sit down this week with Vice President Kamala Harris and GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
A defiant Netanyahu vows to stay the course; hits โuseful idiotsโ
Netanyahu praised Biden for his โheartfelt supportโ following Hamasโ surprise attack.
Israeli military strikes Houthi targets in Yemen in response to Tel Aviv attack
The Israeli attack appeared to be the first on Yemeni soil since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.
Iran threatens โobliterating warโ if Israel attacks Lebanon
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah prompted the US to launchย diplomatic effortsย to prevent a full-scale war in the region.
Iran threatens โobliterating warโ if Israel attacks Lebanon
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah prompted the US to launchย diplomatic effortsย to prevent a full-scale war in the region.
Shipping industry urges Red Sea action as Houthis sink second vessel
Urgent action must be taken in the Red Sea to stop attacks on merchant shipping by Yemen’s Houthis, leading industry groups said on Wednesday (19 June), after the sinking of a second ship.
Houthis say they targeted Greek-owned ship damaged in Red Sea
Iran-allied Houthi militants on Wednesday (12 June) took responsibility for small watercraft and missile attacks that left a Greek-owned cargo ship taking on water and in need of rescue near Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeidah.
How Western shipping lines try to minimize disruption is of great interest to China
Beijingโs intrusion means Western shipping lines must make sure their crews arenโt just masters of the seas but also able to understand the world of state-linked espionage.
Iranโs President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash
Raisi had been tipped as a possible successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Big Tech caught up in AI frenzy
Also in this newsletter: Houthis expand attacks, England and Wales go to the polls, warning on global poverty
Biden warns that Iran could attack Israel soon
U.S. president said his grim outlook was based on intelligence reports that he was not at liberty to describe further.
EU navies in Red Sea escorted some 70 ships
EU frigates have helped 68 merchant vessels get through the Houthis’ Red Sea blockade, but shipping is still down by half as attacks continue.
EUโs Red Sea mission successfully repels attacks, but lacks ships
.The EU’s operation in the Red Sea to protect commercial ships from attacks by Houthi rebels is showing results but remains stuck in a small area of operation due to a lack of ships and other assets, officials said on Monday (8 April).
Yemen’s Houthis say they launched missiles, rockets at Western ships
Yahya Saree, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman, said in a televised statement that the operations took place ”during the last 72 hours”. He did not give further details of the attacks.
Denmark fires defense chief after warship malfunctions in Red Sea Houthi battle
Flemming Lentfer failed to inform defense minister of incident in which a frigate’s defense and ammunition systems failed while engaging the Iran-backed militants, according to reports.
Oil rises as heightened geopolitical risks exacerbate supply concerns
Oil prices rose in early Asian trading on Monday (25 March) on concerns over tighter global supply brought about by escalating conflicts in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine, while a shrinking US rig count added to upward price pressure.
Russia and China strike deal with Houthis to ensure ship safety: Bloomberg
The news outlet reported Beijing and Moscow have promised to provide some โpolitical supportโ to the militant group.
The shameful abandonment of seafarers
An increasing number of sailors are being abandoned by their vesselsโ owners, left stuck on board sometimes for months or even years.
Indian Navy seizes Bulgarian ship from Somali pirates and rescues the crew
Indian naval forces including special commandos seized a cargo vessel that had been hijacked by Somali pirates, rescuing 17 crew members, a spokesperson for the navy said on Saturday (16 March).
CIA director says cease-fire is needed to help starving children in Gaza
Burns addressed the Israel-Hamas conflict in his testimony at the intelligence communityโs annual worldwide threats hearing.
US, UK, French military shoot down Houthi drones after attack on bulk carrier, destroyers
US, French and British forces downed dozens of drones in the Red Sea area overnight and on Saturday (9 March) after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis targeted bulk carrier Propel Fortune and US destroyers in the region, the US military said in a statement.
US, allies down 28 Houthi drones in Red Sea attack
The โlarge-scaleโ attack late Friday night was the latest in a series conducted by the Houthis against commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea since mid-November.
Attack on ship in the Middle East causes first fatalities in assaults on commercial freighters
2 mariners were killed and 6 more were injured, according to U.S. officials.
ECB to hold rates again, awaiting clearer signs on inflation
The European Central Bank is expected to freeze interest rates again this week, with officials wary of starting to cut before they see more evidence that recent falls in inflation will be sustained.
Italian warship forced to shoot down Houthi missile in Red Sea
Destroyer Caio Duilio, part of the EU shipping protection force, took out weapon when it came within four miles of the vesselAn Italian warship participating in the EU naval protection force in the Red Sea was forced to shoot down a Houthi missile on S…
Iran-backed Houthi rebels vow to keep attacking British shipping
A Houthi official called the U.K. “a rogue state” that works with the U.S. “in sponsoring the ongoing crime against civilians in Gaza.”
An attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea has caused a miles-long oil slick. Things could get worse
The US military has in recent weeks launched waves of strikes on Houthi-held areas inside Yemen in response to the Houthisโ attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea.
New Houthi attack risks โenvironmental disaster,โ says US
The attacked ship’s cargo of fertilizer could spill into the Red Sea, US defense officials said.
EU launches Red Sea mission โAspidesโ to protect vessels from Houthi attacks
EU foreign ministers on Monday (19 February) officially launched the EU mission in the Red Sea they hope to be a deterrent against Houthis attack against merchant vessels and avoid any escalation in the region.
Houthis damage British cargo ship in new attack
The Iran-backed militants claim to have also shot down an American drone.
US intercepts weapons shipment bound for Houthis
Coast Guard finds more than 200 packages of medium-range ballistic missile components and other weapons, the military said.
UAE restricts US ability to launch retaliatory airstrikes against Iran proxies
Other Arab countries are restricting operations as well, according to people familiar with the matter.
Developments from Ukraine: Precision warfare on the cheap
In todayโs world, the battlefield has become transparent, the warheads much more precise and the weapons very cheap.
Biden calls Israeli response in Gaza ‘over the top’, strikes on Houthis, Rafah airstrikes
The latest updates from Israel’s war on Gaza.
US intending further strikes on Iran-backed groups
The United States intends to launch further strikes at Iran-backed groups in the Middle East, the White House national security adviser said on Sunday (4 February), after hitting Tehran-aligned factions in Iraq, Syria and Yemen over the last two days.
Iran: Here we go with another game of whack-a-mole
Deterrence isnโt working, and if allowed to by the U.S., Tehran can play a taunting game in the Middle East forever.
Iran says US-British strikes in Yemen are โfueling chaos and disorderโ in Mideast
Bombings contradict U.S. and U.K. policy of wanting to avoid escalation, Tehran says.
US and UK launch new attacks on Houthis in Yemen
The U.S. military is intensifying action on two fronts as it battles Iran-backed militants.
US, Britain wage strikes against Houthis while Borrell urges no escalation
The United States and Britain launched strikes against 36 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday (3 February), in the second day of major US operations against Iran-linked groups following a deadly attack on American troops last weekend.
US strikes Iranian militants in Iraq and Syria in response to deadly drone attack in Jordan
Itโs the first of what officials expect to be multiple rounds of retaliatory actions following the deaths of three U.S. soldiers.
US starts strikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran-linked targets
The US military launched airstrikes on Friday (2 February) in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and the militias it backs, in retaliation for last weekend’s attack in Jordan that killed three US tro…
UK manufacturers hit by Red Sea disruption and rising shipping costs
Supply chain difficulties have led to job losses and cuts in purchasing and stocks, S&P Global poll showsBritainโs factories have been hit by disruption caused by Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea that led to shipping delays and contributed to ri…
Hamas head due in Cairo for Gaza truce talks
The leader of Hamas was expected in Cairo on Thursday (1 February) for talks on a proposed truce in Gaza, as Israel kept up its offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
EUโs Red Sea mission set to launch in mid-February, officials confirm
It’s a purely defensive operation to protect ships from Houthi attacks, said foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
Jake Sullivan touts successes of Biden administrationโs China policy
National security adviser pushes back on critics of administrationโs Beijing outreach and says Biden-Xi direct communication is crucial to stabilizing ties.
US vows retaliation after drone strike, Qatar sees risk for hostage talks
The United States vowed to take โall necessary actionsโ to defend American forces after a drone attack killed three US troops in Jordan, while Qatar said it hoped US retaliation would not damage regional security or undercut progress toward a new Gaza …
Houthi rebels fire missile at US warship, escalating Mideast crisis
Incident in Gulf of Aden is the first time the Iranian-backed group has directly targeted an American military vessel.
Houthi rebels escalate Red Sea attacks, set fuel tanker on fire
Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Friday (26 January) stepped up attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, including a hit that sparked a fire on a fuel tanker operated on behalf of trading firm Trafigura.
China presses Iran to rein in Houthi attacks in Red Sea
Chinese officials have asked their Iranian counterparts to help rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis, or risk harming business relations with Beijing, four Iranian sources and a diplomat familiar with the matter said.
European, US retailers absorb Red Sea shock, wary of hiking prices
Carrying more stock, switching to suppliers nearer to consumers and reducing dependence on China are tactics European and US retailers used to build more resilient supply chains following disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
US, British forces carry out new strikes in Yemen
US and British forces carried out a fresh round of strikes on Monday (22 January) in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities used by the Iran-aligned group against Red Sea shipping, the Pentag…
American, British forces carry out large-scale strikes on Houthis in Yemen
The U.S. military has launched multiple rounds of preemptive strikes against Houthi anti-ship missile sites.
American, British forces carry out large-scale strikes on Houthis in Yemen
The US military has launched multiple rounds of preemptive strikes against Houthi anti-ship missile sites.
Houthis seek more Iranian weapons to step up Red Sea attacks, intel shows
U.S. officials assess the group could also potentially seek to attack Western troops in the region.
Houthis seek more Iranian weapons to step up Red Sea attacks, intel shows
U.S. officials assess the group could also potentially seek to attack Western troops in the region.
Middle East missile attacks raise Gaza escalation risk
Missile attacks in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen on Saturday (20 January) threw into sharp focus the increasing risk of the war in Gaza triggering a wider regional conflict pitting Iran and its allies against Israel and the United States.
Cyprus faces backlash over use of British bases to bomb Houthis
President accused of allowing country to become a target because of โcomplicity in bloodshed of GazaโThe Cyprus government is facing growing criticism over British military bases on the island being used by UK and US forces to stage airstrikes on Iran-…
Belgium pledges frigate to EUโs new Read Sea mission
Belgium stands ready to join the European Union’s future maritime security mission in the Red Sea with the Louise-Marie frigate, the government announced on Friday (19 January).
West must pay direct attention to Iran, not its proxies
Addressing the impact of Houthi actions is a pressing issue, but efforts to resolve the crisis should be focused on the real source behind the conflict โ Tehran.
The Netherlands ready to supply frigate for new EU Red Sea mission
The Netherlands are planning to make a frigate available for the EU’s new mission in the Red Sea to protect ships against attacks from the Houthis in Yemen, according to an announcement on Wednesday.
David Cameron: West must resist โevilโ Putin and never back down
UK foreign secretary opens up on Ukraine, Israel-Hamas, the controversial Rwanda policy and personal criticism in revealing interview with POLITICO.
Qatar, France broker deal to get aid, medication to civilians, hostages in Gaza
Qatar and France have brokered a deal with Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to deliver urgent medication to some 45 Israeli hostages held by the group in Gaza in return for humanitarian and medical aid for the most vulnerable civilians.
[Interview] Ex-UK Envoy to Yemen: Houthis using Gaza to mask own agenda
The Houthi militant group in Yemen is using Gaza to mask its own wild agenda, a former British diplomat has said, as the EU prepares to join the US in Red Sea clashes.
Greek ship hit by missile as Houthis ramp up Red Sea attacks
24 crew members are safe following strike.
EU to move ahead with Red Sea mission to deter Houthis
EU member states gave initial backing on Tuesday (16 January)ย for the creation of a naval mission to protect ships from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea, according to several European diplomats.
Yemenโs Houthis threaten to hit US ships as more tankers steer clear
Yemen’s Houthi movement will expand its targets in the Red Sea region to include US ships, an official from the Iran-allied group said on Monday (15 January), as it vowed to keep up attacks after US and British strikes on its sites in Yemen.
Red Sea: Time to treat the cause, not the symptom
The EUโs plan for a maritime operation would ignore the true cause of the unrest โ the war on Gaza.
Rishi Sunak: Houthi attacks were taken in โself defenseโ
The British prime minister was addressing MPs for the first time since Friday’s strikes.
Middle East crisis: US blames Houthis after ship hit by missile off Yemen
The vessel was struck from above by a rocket, UK monitoring center says.
Airstrikes are unlikely to deter the Houthis
As far as Washington and London are concerned, Western retaliation is meant to convey a clear message to Iran โ stop. But why would it?
US carries out more strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen
President Joe Biden authorized the strikes designed to punish the Houthis and deter them from further threatening global trade.
Trump criticizes White House for Houthi strikes
Washington has been under intensifying pressure to respond to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
EU mulls potential joint naval mission in Red Sea amid Houthi attacks
EU member states are expected to discuss a potential new naval operation, which would aim to re-establish security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, as Yemenโs Houthis continue to attack ships in the vital international trade route.
EU makes muddled response to crisis in the Red Sea
US and UK launched strikes against Houthi rebels but European nations are split on whether to join in.
Middle East braces for chaos as Iran and West square up
US-led strikes against Houthi rebels come as Tehranโs partners sow havoc from Lebanon to the Red Sea. Experts fear itโs only the beginning.
Houthis vow to continue Red Sea attacks despite US-led strikes
Iranian-backed rebel group has for months been launching drone strikes against vessels along the global trade artery.
US, Britain carry out strikes against Houthis in Yemen
The United States and Britain launched strikes from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea, a dramatic regional widening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Inside Bidenโs decision to strike the Houthis
The administration had been under pressure to respond to the Iran-backed attacks.
Democrats rip Biden for launching Houthi strikes without congressional approval
Some Republicans, meanwhile, couched their praise of the strikes in broader criticism of the administrationโs foreign policy actions.
EU wants to send warships to Red Sea to tackle Houthi attacks
Operation should include ‘at least three anti-air destroyers or frigates.’
Israel to face Gaza genocide charges at World Court
Israel prepared to defend itself on Thursday (11 January) at the top UN court against accusations of genocide in Gaza, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rebuffed for the first time calls by some right-wing ministers to permanently occupy th…
US, UK shoot down Houthi missiles amid huge Red Sea rebel barrage
Iran-backed Yemeni group targets ‘international shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting.’
Iran needs to know US wonโt accept its destabilizing actions
Washingtonโs policy of containment, defense and deterrence to prevent the Gaza war from spreading has been unsuccessful, and it is time to publicly announce a more assertive approach.
Fallout growing over US defense chiefโs secret hospitalization
The defense chief is facing criticism for keeping his bosses in the dark.