Houthis vow to retaliate after U.S. strikes on Yemen kill at least 31
Houthis vow to retaliate after U.S. strikes on Yemen kill at least 31
“We are confronting this criminal aggression and responding to escalation with escalation,” the Iran-backed militia said in a media statement.
Summary
U.S. airstrikes on Houthi-held areas of Yemen killed at least 31 and injured 101, according to the Houthi health ministry.
The strikes followed renewed Houthi attacks on shipping, which they say are in response to Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
A Houthi spokesperson vowed retaliation, stating, “Our response will not be delayed.” Trump warned Iran to stop supporting the Houthis, while Iran distanced itself from the group.
The conflict has disrupted Red Sea shipping, prompting the U.S. to redesignate the Houthis as a terrorist organization earlier this month.
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I wonder how long the world is going to be okay with America using deadly violence in the Middle East as a way to mask and deflect from domestic turmoil? At least our “coalition of the willing (to commit war crimes)” is getting smaller.
ehhh.... fuck it, let's earn some downvotes.
I'm really not going to lose sleep over a group that intentionally targets civilian ships staffed, with you know, innocent civilians.
Trump sucks. But Iran's upper leadership also sucks, and they're funding this.
It's hilarious that your name is Robin Hood but you're completely against imposing a blockade to stop a genocide
Did Robin Hood go out and pepper innocent people with arrows? Was that the moral of the story?
Most ship crew members come from neutral developing countries, such as the Philippines. Maybe their lives don't mean much to you, but they mean a lot to me. Sorry, I'm never going to condone attacking innocent civilians.
Do you think they are civilian vessels operated by mom and pop shops? They are owned by those innocent billionaires Robin loved so much.
Boats have been warned not to travel through the Red Sea until Israel lifts its illegal blockade on Gaza.
What does any of that have to do with with the workers on the boats? Most of whom come from developing countries and are just trying to feed their families?
Astounding.
Most of whom come from developing countries and are just trying to feed their families?
Shame billionaires are using those workers as human shields and send them through a blockade. Those millions in lost revenue must affect only the poor worker and not the owner of the ship.
Yeah, and it's a shame that people, especially from developing countries, are forced into these situations due to economic realities.
Stop mentioning the billionaires. They are not important in this conversation. They are not on the the ships, and the only impact these events have on them is pushing up insurance prices and other costs but even that is a drop in the bucket.
And stop acting like you're some sort of hero. Given your position, I highly doubt you actually care any more about these workers then then billionaires. Both you and them seem to be looking at 'em as disposable.
Stop mentioning the billionaires. They are not important in this conversation.
They are the people with influence in the governments committing genocides. They are also the people primarily being impacted. They and the insurance companies. And the consumers. And Western people do not care about anything unless it costs them money
In the wise words of Mohammed Al Kurd:
You can’t protest peacefully. You can’t boycott. You can’t hunger strike. You can’t hijack planes. You can’t block traffic. You can’t throw Molotovs. You can’t self-immolate. You can’t heckle politicians. You can’t march. You can’t riot. You can’t dissent. You just can’t be.
"They are the people with influence in the governments committing genocides."
And the civilians who are actually targeted are not the ones who can influence governments.
And the attacks on the boats are not going to cause much damage to the billionaires. If the attacks reach the point that the billionaires are going to be hurt, the USA military will step in.
The people actually shouldering must of the impact are innocent civilians, primarily from developing countries, who actually main the boats.
We are the heroes of our own stories but, and I am sorry if this is rude, it's straight up gross that you're here trying to justify attacking neutral, innocent, largely unarmed, and financially constrained civilians.
I really hope you can arrive at the point where you can look back on this and realize how messed up this position is.
Robin Hood committed crimes to help people in need. What's worse? Taking cargo vessels and holding their crew ransom or genociding millions of people? Fighting evil is usually ugly, if playing nice was effective we wouldn't be here
yeah, robin hood wasn't out attacking innocent people.
We're all the heroes in our own story but you're sitting here trying to defend attacking innocent civilians. I hope some day you're able to realize how messed up that is.
How do you feel about what's happening to the Palestinians? if that was happening to you would you want someone to disrupt supply chains to help you?
disrupt supply chains? Sure. Kill innocent civilians? Honestly, probably I would want them to kill whoever to save me, but I'd know that I was morally wrong, if not outright evil.
The mass violence experienced by the Palestinians has been horrific. The October 7th attack was barbaric. Prior actions in recent times by Israel helped pave the way for that attack. Ditto for Hamas. There certainly are and were evil persons among Hamas. Likewise, there are evil people in Israel in high places.
I understand you. Taking innocent lives is wrong. I feel like my perspective comes from a similar sentiment to the JFK quote: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
Peaceful means have been tried to help the Palestinian people for decades and it hasn't been at all effective. That's the only reason I could possibly find myself being ok with what the yemenis do
You're not going to like this, but the facts bear out: Palestinian leaders are complicit in all of this. They could have accepted a peace deal under Clinton decades ago and they'd have their own country right now. Palestinians have caused trouble in Jordan, Egypt, and elsewhere, which is why Arab nations in the ME are sometimes nearly as wary and as restricted on borders as Israel.
There are lots and lots of bad actors in Israel too, with Bibi chief among them. The USA, meanwhile, has typically done the bare minimum to restrain either side and has typically provided too much support IMO to Israel, ultimately enabling them.
This is not a black and white issue that it often gets boiled down to, with offending camps believing they are 100% the victims/right while the otherside is 100% evil/aggressor.
As for using violence, also keep in mind that if you throw punches, people will punch back. Picking a fight with a far, far more powerful force is going to result in you getting your ass kicked.
While I abhor how heavily Israel obliterated Gaza, I can also tell you that it was the inevitable outcome once Hamas and their allies starting (allegedly)cooking babies in ovens and mass mudering peaceful concert goers.
If someone going to use violence, understand that your opponents are going to use it too. Don't throw a punch and then cry because you (not you specifically, but people generally) got your ass beat.
holding their crew ransom
You seem to have hallucinated a Disney movie version of events.
If you want to be pro Houthi attacks in the Red Sea that's your prerogative, but don't tell yourself bedtime stories about how that particular conflict is playing out.
They didn't hold the crew ransom, they blew them up with missiles and caused such a huge turmoil in supply chains that the cost of shipping went up by shitloads and affected the livelihoods of workers all across the world and affected cost of goods for consumers all over the world
That's just how blockades work; what else do you want them to do?
well, I dunno, maybe not blockade?
Uh... You do know why they're imposing a blockade right?
Hard to argue that this is really a blockade. Maybe in the broadest sense. It's a violent rebel group attacking civilians in hopes of punishing political rivals with no other clear objective. That's basically the definition of terrorism.
The Houthis lifted the blockade as soon as aid was allowed into Gaza. The only valid argument was if the blockade would continue despite Israel lifting the forced starvation on Gaza.
What do you imagine happens when a ship violates a blockade? Because I doubt they just get a slap on the wrist.
It's a violent rebel group attacking civilians in hopes of punishing political rivals with no other clear objective.
So first, the claim they're a "violent rebel group" is based on the American claim that their preferred government is the legitimate government of Yemen. That aside the Houthi blockade is meant to force Israel to let aid into Gaza, not just "punish them". If that's terrorism then every act of war is terrorism.
Heh. They were once considered American allies. Until we didn't need their help anymore.
It might be a blockade if they were attempting to block arms or other goods to Israel, but they have long since abandoned that pretense.
By international law, a blockade must be enforced by naval ships, and violating vessels must be duly warned before being boarded and redirected. The crew and cargo may be captured or released according to the relevant laws.
They are just launching rockets at any vessel in range.
Even if you somehow consider the Houthis the legitimate government of Yemen (I think maybe Iran and a few others do), that just makes it state terrorism.
By international law aid must be getting into Gaza. International law is a useless concept and is selectively mentioned when useful to the empire. Else completely ignored.
The Houthis will follow international law as soon as the other nations do so by lifting the siege on Gaza.
Their targeting of ships was also not random. Most of the ships have turned out to be connected to either Israel or America. This is often obscured by the media by only mentioning the flag it was under.
Three killed in Houthi attack on cargo ship off Yemeni coast
The owners and managers of the True Confidence, who purchased the vessel just days ago from US private equity group Oaktree Capital, gave details of the deaths and injuries in a statement on Thursday. The Houthi rebel group claimed responsibility for the attack on Wednesday evening local time.
I'm not sure what you are arguing here. Clearly we agree this is not a blockade, and your "evidence" that the terrorism is somehow valid is that one of the boats used to belong to an American company?
Clearly we agree this is not a blockade
It is not blockade unless it originates near the sprankling democracy of the US. Else it's just sprankling terrorism.
I don't agree with that statement at all.
Whether an action is justified or not has nothing to do with whether it is a blockade. We can debate the former, but you've already admitted that we agree on the latter. It is, by any rational definition, not a blockade. You've said as much. Why are you talking in circles about this? Just move on.
Okay so I brushed up on the Houthi blockade and fair enough, I have no idea what the hell these guys are doing. I was going to argue that it's at least mostly targeted (in which case I'd have said the ends justify the means) but it's just not so I'll have to concede this one.
A blockade doesn't work if you can't defend it. They can do whatever they want but actions have consequences.
A blockade doesn't work if you can't defend it.
Okay? It worked the last time they did it so there's no reason to believe it won't work now.
Damaging trade through the Suez effects everyone negatively. If anything this will be one of his more popular moves.
Yes someone please think of the Economy! /S
Yes?
- person with no financial burdens
Ah no your poor financial burdens. If only there was another way to live.
I mean, literally, if only. Not the dude you're arguing with. Am another dude.
Sure we can dream up other ways to live, and we collectively could achieve them. But for many, many people it's simply not possible right now
Right now is possible, but you would have to leave your couch, it would be uncomfortable, and you'd maybe have to get your hands dirty. Let's just Uber eats instead.
I grew up working class with parents on welfare living in government housing. I did, in-fact, actually have to leave my couch in order to improve my living conditions and am acutely aware of the consequences of rising rent, rising energy costs, stagnant wages, and high food prices.
Most of us don't get the choice to be full time internet activists unfortunately.
Oh your poor opportunity to work harder and improve your life.