Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK, US defend strikes on Yemen's Houthis as legal

The US carried out a fresh strike Saturday (13) on a Huthi rebel target in Yemen

UK, US defend strikes on Yemen's Houthis as legal

THE US and Britain defended to the UN Security Council the legality of strikes they launched against Yemen's Houthis for attacking Red Sea shipping while Russia and China accused the Western allies of raising regional tensions.

Russia called the US and British operation disproportionate and illegal.


Other countries expressed concerns that the US and British strikes against 28 locations would stoke regional tensions, already high over Israel's offensive against Gaza's ruling Hamas Islamists.

The exchanges came during a Security Council debate on the US and British operation carried out after months of drone and missile attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis, who seized much of Yemen in a civil war, say their attacks are in support of Hamas.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the strikes by the US and Britain, part of a US-led multinational naval coalition, were consistent with international law and the UN Charter.

The operation was designed "to disrupt and degrade the Houthis' ability to continue the reckless attacks against vessels and commercial shipping," she said.

The US, she continued, would continue pursuing a diplomatic response while seeking to defend commercial shipping.

More than 2,000 ships have been forced by the Houthi attacks to divert from the Red Sea since November.

"We took limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defense alongside the United States with the non-operational support of the Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain and Australia," said British Ambassador Susan Woodward.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia charged that the US and British strikes violated international law and raised regional tensions.

"It's one thing defending commercial shipping, attacks on which are unacceptable, but another when you're disproportionately and illegally bombing another state," he said.

Zhang Jun, China's UN envoy, said the Security Council had not authorised the use of force against Yemen.

The US and British operation "not only caused infrastructure destruction and civilian casualties, but have also resulted in heightened security risks in the Red Sea," he said.

(Reuters)

More For You

british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less
scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less