Yemen’s Houthis vow retaliation after US, UK carry out air strikes – National & International News – FRI 12Jan2024

Arctic blast brings freezing temps, snow across US.

Yemen’s Houthis vow retaliation after US, UK carry out air strikes. 

NATIONAL NEWS

Arctic blast brings freezing temps, snow across US

This weekend much of the country will be experiencing extreme winter temperatures extending into the beginning of next week. From the Rockies to New England, millions are under extreme cold warnings. The South will also be experiencing sub-freezing temperatures overnight for the next several days, with single-digit lows expected on Monday and Tuesday. 

The Great Lakes area, the Midwest and Northeast are expecting heavy snowfall as well. Thousands of weekend flights have already been canceled or delayed. Cities throughout the affected area are urging citizens to stay indoors as much as possible.

In Iowa, where caucuses for the Republican Presidential nomination will begin next Monday, there’s already a thick covering of snow on the ground. On Monday, meteorologists are expecting subzero temperatures with a windchill factor bringing the feel down as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Yemen’s Houthis vow retaliation after US, UK carry out air strikes

In the latest escalation in the Middle East, the US and UK carried out dozens of airstrikes against targets in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen. Statements from the US military say that these strikes targeted production facilities, radar stations, and sites connected with Houthi military infrastructure. A statement from a Houthi spokesman said that 5 people were killed in the attacks.

The strikes were a Western response to a months-long campaign by the Houthis targeting ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait which leads into the Red Sea and towards the Suez Canal. The Houthis have specifically targeted either Israeli-owned ships or ships headed to or from ports in Israel. Since mid-October, the Houthis either boarded or launched drones or missiles at over two dozen ships.

Houthi spokespeople have expressed solidarity with the people of Gaza who have been on the receiving end of a 4-month long military onslaught by Israel. They say they will continue their activities targeting Israeli-linked ships passing near their shores and vowed to retaliate for the US-led air strikes. 

The Gaza war has spread

Human rights groups and many international observers have accused Israel of carrying out a genocide in Gaza. The International Court of Justice in the Hague has just concluded a two-day hearing on the matter. The ICJ must now decide whether to impose a preliminary cease-and-desist order on Israel to stop it carrying out further military aggression in Gaza.

The Houthis say they are fulfilling their obligation under the 1948 Genocide Convention requiring all UN-member states to act to prevent genocide. The US, UK and other Western powers continue backing Israel despite growing international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Since Oct. 7, the US has twice vetoed measures in the UN Security Council calling for a ceasefire in Israel. However, just this week, the Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end their attacks on shipping.

Yesterday’s air strikes mark a significant escalation in US military involvement to support Israel. President Biden received criticism from fellow Democrats and some Republicans for bypassing Congress to carry out the strikes. The White House later issued a statement saying it was “not interested” in a war with Yemen but would “not hesitate” to carry out further military action if necessary

For eight-years, the Saudis relentlessly bombed Yemen with US weapons and failed to break the Houthi’s hold on Yemen. If the US is serious about disarming the Houthis, it would require a full-scale ground invasion, something most Americans would have little appetite for.

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