US attacks missile launchers in Houthi base; Casualties

Sky News report in Arabic: Dead and injured in an American attack against missile launch systems at a #Houthi base in central #Yemen
CENTCOM:" It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels."

Exit polls in EU elections - Right wing parties take top spots all across the EU
Right-wing has grown stronger in all of #Europe, according to the European Parliament election models.

Marie Le Pen's party in France wins 31.5% while current leading Macron's party wins only 15.2%
Le Pen's party may be the largest in the European Parliament

In #Germany, the Afd, the far-right party in Germany, wins second place in the German elections while the leading socialists are far behind in third place.

In #Austria the Freedom Party is leading

Right-wing parties also won in #Cyprus, #Greece and the #Netherlands. To summarize: the center-right bloc in the European Parliament will be the largest by a significant margin over second place

French President #Macron announced snap parliamentary elections on June 30. Second round on July 7.

Iran detains MSC Aries ship over allegedly 'violation of maritime law'

#Iran has decided to detain The MSC Aries ship bound for Israel due to its violation of maritime law, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanani has said. "Iran is constantly working to ensure the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. However, the aforementioned vessel was sent to Iran's territorial waters due to its violation of maritime law and for ignoring the requests of the Iranian authorities," he told a news conference broadcast by Iran's SNN TV channel.

As Kanani noted, Iran monitors "all ships in the strategic strait" and prevents violations of the country's sovereignty. Tehran favors "the freedom of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international norms and will always act in this vein," the Foreign Ministry spokesman added.

Philippe de Gaulle, only son of former French leader Charles de Gaulle, dies at age 102
Rest in Heaven Admiral! Fair Winds and Following Seas! We 've the Watch!

French navy admiral and senator Philippe de Gaulle, who was the eldest child and only son of former French President Charles de Gaulle, has died at the age of 102, Agence France-Presse reports.
According to the AFP, Philippe de Gaulle "died in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday at the [old soldiers’ home at Paris’ iconic] Hotel des Invalides, where he had resided for the past two years."

General Charles de Gaulle and his wife Yvonne had three children, with the couple’s two daughters, Elisabeth and Anne, both dying earlier than their only son, Philippe. Charles de Gaulle’s younger daughter, Anne, died in 1948 at age 20.

Philippe de Gaulle was born on December 28, 1921. During World War II, he was close to his famous father, who led the Free French Forces and later served as president of France (1959-1969). As an officer in the Free French Naval Forces, Philippe de Gaulle was injured six times in battles for the liberation of France from Nazi Germany.

In 1966, Philippe accompanied his father on an official visit to Moscow, during which a number of agreements reinforcing the bilateral cooperation between France and the Soviet Union were signed.

US, UK pummel #Houthi sites across #Yemen as Red Sea attacks escalate

In 4th joint operation, fighter jets hit 18 targets in 8 locations; Iran-backed rebels denounce ‘US-British aggression’ while Washington admits Houthis yet to be deterred

The US and Britain struck 18 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, answering a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed rebel group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including a missile strike this past week that set fire to a cargo vessel.

According to US officials, American and British fighter jets hit sites in eight locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets, drones, and air defense systems. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to provide early details of an ongoing military operation.

This is the fourth time that the US and British militaries have conducted a combined operation against the Houthis since January 12. But the US has also been carrying out almost daily strikes to take out Houthi targets, including incoming missiles and drones aimed at ships, as well as weapons that were prepared to launch.

The US F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Red Sea, officials said.

“The United States will not hesitate to take action, as needed, to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks.”

CENTCOM intercepts Iranian weapons shipment intended for Houthis

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter, forward deployed to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, seized advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid originating in Iran and bound to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen from a vessel in the Arabian Sea on Jan. 28.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-class fast-response cutter USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr (WPC 1147), assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, located the vessel and boarded it in the Arabian Sea. The boarding team discovered over 200 packages that contained medium-range ballistic missile components, explosives, unmanned underwater/surface vehicle (UUV/USV) components, military-grade communication and network equipment, anti-tank guided missile launcher assemblies, and other military components.

The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of such aid violates U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216 (as extended and renewed by resolutions 2675 and 2707). “This is yet another example of Iran’s malign activity in the region, ” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander. “Their continued supply of advanced conventional weapons to the Houthis is in direct violation of international law and continues to undermine the safety of international shipping and the free flow of commerce.”

U.S. hits #Houthi surface vehicles, cruise missiles in #Yemen - #CENTCOM

The U.S. military has carried out a series of strikes in Yemen on February 9, targeting unmanned surface vehicles and cruise missiles of Houthi rebels from the Ansar Allah movement, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

"On Feb. 9, between the hours of 3 a.m. - 9:40 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted self-defense strikes against two mobile unmanned surface vessels (USV), four mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, and one mobile land attack cruise missile (LACM) that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea," CENTCOM said in a statement posted on its X page.

It was reported that the U.S. Central Command had identified the targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. CENTCOM decided that they "presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region." It said that "these actions will protect freedom of navigation."

'U.S. CENTCOM Destroys Three Houthi Terrorists' Anti-Ship Missiles'

🔶️ "As part of ongoing efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on maritime vessels, U.S. Navy ships are present in the Red Sea. On Jan. 19 at approximately 6:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes against three Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed into the Southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch. U.S. forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region. U.S. forces subsequently struck and destroyed the missiles in self-defense. This action will make international waters safe and secure for U.S. navy vessels and merchant vessels."

🔶️ "The US and the UK are exploring ways to step up their campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen, with a focus on targeting Iranian resupplies and launching more aggressive pre-emptive strikes, people familiar with the matter says"

U.S. CENTCOM Strikes Houthi Terrorist Missile Launchers'

🔶️ "In the context of ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on U.S. and partner maritime traffic in the Red Sea, on Jan. 17 at approximately 11:59 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. These missiles on launch rails presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting U.S. forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves. These strikes, along with other actions we have taken, will degrade the Houthi’s capabilities to continue their reckless attacks on international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden."

🔶️ “The actions by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander. "We will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners and we will always protect our people.”

U.S. launches fourth round of strikes in a week against Houthi targets in Yemen

🔶️ The U.S. conducted its fourth round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in just under a week on Wednesday after the Houthis continued targeting commercial vessels, a U.S. official confirmed to CBS News. The strikes targeted several sites that were prepared to launch attacks, according to the official.

🔶️ The Biden administration has tried to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from spreading into a wider conflict, but since that war began, there has been a steady drumbeat of attacks against U.S. forces by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria along with the Houthi attacks on commercial ships.

Houthi Attack on International Shipping - CENTCOM Statement:

🔶️ On Jan. 9, at approximately 9:15 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs (OWA UAVs), anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea, towards international shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting.

🔶️ Eighteen OWA UAVs, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile were shot down by a combined effort of F/A-18s from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Laboon (DDG 58), USS Mason (DDG 87), and the United Kingdom’s HMS Diamond (D34). This is the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea since Nov. 19. There were no injuries or damage reported.

🔶️ On Jan. 3, 14 countries, including the U.S, issued a joint statement stating, "The Houthis will bear the responsibility for the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, or the free flow of commerce in the region's critical waterways."