Bill and Joe are back with an update on Israel’s now-resumed war in Gaza, and they’re joined by FDD Senior Fellow and Hezbollah expert David Daoud. They discuss the latest activity from Hezbollah at Israel’s border with Lebanon, U.S. funding to the Lebanese Armed Forces (or as Bill calls it: “giving crack to a crackhead”), the pieces in play on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s regional chessboard, and more.
The USS Carney shot down an Iranian-supplied KAS-04 UAV as it was “was heading toward the warship.” The UAV was likley launched by the Iranian-backed Houthis.
Bill and Joe are back with an update on the latest from Israel and Gaza, starting with the release by Hamas of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel amidst the backdrop of a still-holding ceasefire.
They’re also joined again by FDD Senior Fellow and Iran expert Behnam Ben Taleblu to unpack the latest regional aggression covered with Tehran’s fingerprints, including more missiles fired at U.S. and Israeli assets in the region (and why one incident last week was actually a “game-changer”) as well as the latest string of maritime hijackings off the coast of Yemen.
The anti-ship ballistic missiles, which were fired by the Houthis after a U.S. warship foiled a hijacking in the Gulf of Aden, missed their mark. The U.S. military has not responded to the attack.
The Houthis boarded and seized the Israeli-linked Galaxy Leader cargo ship on November 19, taking 25 crewmembers captive. This piracy, which follows recent Houthi attacks against Israel, is part of a larger strategy by Iran to undermine maritime security and American interests while attempting to encircle, attack, and exhaust Israel.
The IMSC did not identify any of the “malign actors” that caused it to issue the warning, but it is clear the warning is in response to threats by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia.
Bill and Joe are back with an update on Israel’s ground offensive inside Gaza. They’re joined by FDD’s David May to discuss international pressure on Israel, trajectories and timelines, rumors about reporters from western outlets receiving tips and then traveling into Israel alongside Hamas on October 7, and more.
The Iran-backed militia in Yemen that is better known as the Houthis shot down an unmanned U.S. MQ-9 Reaper in international waters off the coast of Yemen. The Houthis have shot down four U.S. Reapers since 2017.
Today’s attack is the third by the Houthis that has targeted Israel, and the terror group has threatened more as Israel prepares its ground offensive into Gaza.
The USS Carney intercepted three missiles fired from Yemen as it was patrolling the Red Sea. The missiles appear to have been fired at Israel.
Abdul Malik al-Houthi says he willing to support ‘the Palestinian people’ with rocket barrages if the United States intervenes to support Israel.
Yemen’s Houthis renewed attacks against Saudi Arabia by launching three waves of assaults on Saturday and Sunday.
The U.S. Treasury Department exposed more elements of the Houthi’s international finance network on Wednesday by designating individuals and entities affiliated with the Iran-backed militant group. Treasury described the designated individuals and entities as being involved with “the U.S.-designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Houthi financier Sa’id al-Jamal, this network has transferred tens […]
Additionally, the U.S. State Department will also designate three of the Houthis’ top leaders as global terrorists.
Hamas’ politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh appeals to Hezbollah and Ansar Allah for support against Israel’s planned annexation of areas of the West Bank.
The Axis of Resistance uses the Iran-created “International Quds Day” to attempt to show a unified front against Israel and the U.S.
Houthis report to have captured an al Qaeda base in one of its historical strongholds in the country. No independent verification of this event, however, has yet been reported.
Since Aug. 24, Yemen’s Houthi insurgents have claimed a series of attacks inside Saudi territory.
The Houthi’s fundraising campaign ended earlier this week. Today, the Houthi-ran Sam FM radio station reported that the group raised over $100,000 for Lebanese Hezbollah.
The confirmed use of armed drones to target major oil pipelines deep within Saudi Arabia represents a major increase in the Houthis capabilities.
The Secretary-General of Kata’ib Sayyid al Shuhada, an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, said he is a “soldier” of Abdel Malek al Houthi, the leader of Yemen’s Houthi movement.
Several groups within the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps network have eulogized Saleh al Sammad, the political leader of Yemen’s Houthis.
The assassination of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh follows a strain in the opportunistic cooperation between his forces and the Houthis.
Saturday’s launch shows that ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-held territory in Yemen continue to be a threat to Saudi Arabia and the wider area.
On March 9, Thomas Joscelyn testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The hearing, “Resolving the Conflict in Yemen: U.S. Interests, Risks, and Policy,” was called to explore the political dynamics of the ongoing war in Yemen, as well as the roles played by foreign actors and al Qaeda.
The US Treasury Department announced the designations of two “key facilitators” for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) today. A charity that is really a “front organization” for AQAP and has collected funds from Gulf businessmen was also designated. Treasury has systematically targeted AQAP’s support network throughout the year and today’s announcement is part of a series of related moves.
The US military launched missile strikes on three radar sites in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. The strikes came in response to two attacks on the USS Mason earlier this week. The Houthis’ insurgency in Yemen is backed by Iran and has greatly complicated US counterterrorism efforts.
Hamza bin Laden, Osama’s son, criticizes Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen in a newly released audio message. Hamza claims that the Saudi campaign has aided Houthi rebels by interfering in Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s war against them. He calls on Muslims to overthrow the Saudi government.
Al Qaeda’s official branch in Yemen took control of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan, and Jaar. The two towns were previously under al Qaeda control between May 2011 and the summer of 2012.
In the midst of fighting between a Saudi-led coalition and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been able to capitalize on the chaos and gain territory in Yemen.