After nearly two months and 27 Houthi strikes against merchant vessels and U.S., British and French warships, the U.S. and United Kingdom launched a series of attacks against Houthis military sites.
One week after threatening the Iranian-backed Houthis for targeting international shipping, the U.S. led coalition has failed to back up its words with deeds. Houthi attacks continue unabated.
Bill and Behnam unpack this week’s headlines from the Middle East, including the assassination of Hamas deputy Saleh al-Arouri; the U.S. strike that killed Iran-backed militia commander Abu Taqwa Al-Saedi in Iraq (and subsequent drama with the Iraqi government); the U.S.-led coalition dubbed Prosperity Guardian’s “final warning” to the Houthis; and the ISIS bombings at a memorial in Kerman, Iran for slain IRGC-QF commander Qassim Suleimani.
The Houthi attacks “constitute a significant international problem that demands collective action.” The Houthis said that the attacks will continue.
The U.S. hit three Hezbollah Brigades facilities after three U.S. soldiers were wounded, including one critically, in a drone strike at a U.S. airbase in Erbil. the handful of U.S. strikes has not deterred the militias or their Iranian masters.
A Norwegian tanker was hit with a cruise missile, while a French warship shot down two drones that “came straight at” it. The Houthis have vowed to continue to attack all international ships that enter or leave Israeli ports.
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.
Israel carried out a raid in Jenin in the northern West Bank, eliminating a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander. In Gaza two hostages holding Russian citizenship were released and another ten Israeli hostages were expected to be released as the pause in fighting continues.
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.
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.
Nine individuals were designated by the U.S. Treasury Department while an additional five were also blacklisted by the U.S. State Department.
Israel’s defense minister revealed Syrian military used to manufacture advanced arms for Tehran.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia designated five individuals for providing support to the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
You guessed it. Our guest is, indeed, Caleb Weiss. This time, he and Bill discuss how (and which) prison breaks fit into the larger strategy of various Jihadi groups — and why some don’t bother.
Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen renewed attacks against Saudi energy facilities on Friday causing an enormous fire in one of the country’s largest cities.
Yemen’s Houthis renewed attacks against Saudi Arabia by launching three waves of assaults on Saturday and Sunday.
In its second attack in recent weeks, the Houthis targeted several oil refineries in Saudi Arabia including an Aramco facility in Riyadh.
Iran-backed Houthis published a Hezbollah-style video warning Israel and demonstrating military training that its militants undergo.
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 […]
On Feb. 2, Bill Roggio testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security at a hearing titled, “The Dynamic Terrorism Landscape and What It Means for America.” His testimony focused on the state of Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, state sponsors of terrorism such as Iran and Pakistan, and the growing threat of global jihadism.
Abu Dhabi came under renewed ballistic missile attack by the Houthis Monday morning in response to its role in the Saudi-led conflict in Yemen.
Houthi spokesperson announced the Iran-backed group conducted a high profile strike against sites in the UAE on Monday.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has sent a message of support to its fellow al Qaeda branch for recently killing five French soldiers.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department will also designate three of the Houthis’ top leaders as global terrorists.