US strikes Houthi missiles in Yemen and Iran-backed militia in Iraq

The Times, January 24, 2024

Event

 

Two cargo ships sailing close to the Gulf of Aden came under attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Wednesday night, the White House said — forcing the US navy to intervene as the Iran-backed militia intensified its maritime assault on commercial shipping. Houthi forces fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles at the US-flagged and owned container vessel Maersk Detroit as it was transiting the Gulf of Aden, according to the US Central Command. The latest strikes followed another wave against the Iran-backed group on Monday night, which involved Royal Air Force jets as well as US aircraft and warships. The Houthis have been hit with retaliatory strikes over their targeting of Red Sea commerce, which has forced shipping companies to divert traffic from the route to the Suez Canal. The militant group, which controls swathes of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, has carried out a growing number of missile and drone attacks along the key international trade route since Israel launched its assault on Gaza, deepening concerns that the fallout from the Israel-Hamas war could destabilise the Middle East.

Comment

This week has seen further escalation between the Houthis based in Yemen and the US/UK alliance.

The Houthis are demanding Israel stop the war in Gaza and until they do they will attack ships in the Red Sea. On Friday they launched a ballistic missile which hit an oil tanker. The tanker is still on fire as I am writing this. 15% of all maritime world trade passes through the Red Sea – hence the US/UK striking the Houthis. But the epicentre of this new conflict in the Middle East is Israel. It is as if Israel is the vortex of war sucking in more and more nations. We know that eventually all nations will be drawn to battle of Jerusalem. That process could now be underway…

Bible quote

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2)

Andy Walton, Weekly World Watch

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Preceding

1. U.S. Mideast naval exercise and fighter jets in the Gulf region
2. Britain and US launch airstrikes on Houthi targets
3. Russia, Turkey, Iran Condemn Attack on Yemeni Houthis

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Additional reading

1. War, why do people keep doing it
2. Yemen: A country in crisis, what the world governments should practice and advocate to bring an end to the conflict
3. Americans need to end their indifference concerning the war in Yemen
4. The dangerous repercussion of the failure of renewed truce in Yemen
5. How Israel’s Arrow 3 intercepted a missile in first space battle
6. The West and the Houthi rebels – January 2024
7. UK and allies issue ‘final warning’ to Houthis over Red Sea attacks
8. US hits 14 Houthi missiles aimed at ships in the Red Sea

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Related

1. Only defeating Hamas will create a more stable Middle Eas
2. US to relist Houthis as global terrorists
3. Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Claim Attack On Ship After US ‘Terror’
4. US launches fourth round of strikes in a week against Houthi targets
5. US battle with Houthi rebels shows no signs of stopping
6. Houthi rebels seen clashing with US Army
7. Biden U-Turns on Houthi Terrorists
8. Israel bombs Gaza as disagreements with U.S. simmer
9. Who Has the Strongest Military in the World?
10. Striking Back: U.S. and U.K. Forces Unleash Precision Strike
11. Houthi Rebels Fire 3 Ballistic Missiles At US Ship In Gulf of Aden
12. Yemen’s Houthis In Russia Discuss “Pressure” On US, Israel
13. Global trade is being disrupted by Red Sea attacks
14. Yemen’s Houthis Claim Attack On British Oil Tanker In Gulf Of Aden
15. As war and drought throttle supply chains, importers reopen pandemic playbooks

Russia, Turkey, Iran Condemn Attack on Yemeni Houthis

VOA, January 12, 2024

Event

Thursday’s retaliatory attacks by U.S. and British forces on Iranian-backed Houthis inside Yemen have prompted support and condemnation from the international community.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani “strongly slammed the military strikes by the U.S. and Britain,” in a statement, calling it “an arbitrary move” that

“clearly breached Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and was against international laws and regulations.”

NATO ally Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the strikes

“a disproportionate use of force,”

just as Israel is doing in Gaza, and accused the U.S. and Britain of trying

“to turn the Red Sea into a sea of blood.”

He accused both countries of escalating tensions in the region. Russia also condemned the attacks, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmtry Peskov calling the strikes “illegitimate,” and accused the United States and Britain of

“trying to adjust the international law system to its actions.”

Comment

The strikes a few days ago by the US and UK against the Houthis in Yemen has caused anger and condemnation by three main nations – Russia, Turkey and Iran. All three nations are fully lined up with the Palestinians and see Israel as the aggressor. Iran wants the total destruction of Israel. Turkey (the only Muslim nation in NATO) has turned against Israel and is now siding with Russia. Russia under Putin had fairly good ties with Israel but has now turned against them. Putin is siding with Iran as Iran is helping Putin’s war in Ukraine. All three nations are lined up against Israel and therefore condemn the bombing of the Houthis who are also against Israel.

Ezekiel 38 tells us that Russia will assemble allies to attack Israel in the future. Iran and Turkey are on that list.

Bible quote

Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:  And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, ….and the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, (Ezekiel 38:2-6)

Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch

Britain and US launch airstrikes on Houthi targets

The Times, January 12, 2024

Event

Explosions were heard across Yemen late on Thursday night as British and US forces launched strikes on Houthi targets, after the Iranian-backed group ignored warnings to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea. Rishi Sunak, who had authorised the military action hours earlier and briefed ministers in an emergency cabinet meeting, said the situation could not be allowed to stand. He said the UK had taken

“limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence”.

President Biden said that Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and South Korea had also provided backing. Saba, the Yemeni press agency, reported attacks in the capital, Sanaa.

“These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea … These attacks have endangered US personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardised trade, and threatened freedom of navigation,”

President Biden said.

Comment

The war between Israel and Hamas has escalated once again. Now it has spread to a direct conflict between the US/UK and the Houthis based in Yemen. The Houthis have said they are attacking ships in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinians and will only stop when Israel stops its war. The Houthis have been armed with sophisticated missiles and weapons from Iran. In Joel 3 we read of this situation. God speaks of the final conflict over Israel in this chapter. He asks (almost sarcastically)

“what have you to do with me O Tyre and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine?”

Tyre = Hezbollah and coasts of Palestine = Hamas in Gaza. But then we read in verse 8 that these people will be sold to the Sabeans – a people far off. Their kingdom was called Saba in Yemen!

Bible quote

Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon [Hezbollah], and all the coasts of Palestine? [Hamas] will ye render me a recompence? ….I return your recompence upon your own head;  And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans [Yemen], to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it. (Joel 3:4+6)

Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch

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Preceding

U.S. Mideast naval exercise and fighter jets in the Gulf region

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Additional reading

1. Yemen: A country in crisis, what the world governments should practice and advocate to bring an end to the conflict
2. Americans need to end their indifference concerning the war in Yemen
3. The Strategist: The post-American Middle Eastern order
4. The Roots and Consequences of Hamas’ Strategy
5. In the news the Fourth week of December 2023
6. The start of 2024
7. The West and the Houthi rebels – January 2024
8. Why is the US scared of Israel despite global condemnation of its support for the Zionist regime?
9. UK and allies issue ‘final warning’ to Houthis over Red Sea attacks
10. How Israel’s Arrow 3 intercepted a missile in first space battle