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.

    • gedaliyah@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      21 hours ago

      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.

      • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        8 hours ago

        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.

      • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        17
        ·
        20 hours ago

        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.

        • Maeve@kbin.earth
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          16 hours ago

          Heh. They were once considered American allies. Until we didn’t need their help anymore.

        • gedaliyah@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          17 hours ago

          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.

          • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            edit-2
            8 hours ago

            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.

            • gedaliyah@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              3 hours ago

              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?

              • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                3 hours ago

                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.

                • gedaliyah@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  1 hour ago

                  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.

          • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            16 hours ago

            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.

    • Madbrad200@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      23 hours ago

      A blockade doesn’t work if you can’t defend it. They can do whatever they want but actions have consequences.

      • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        12
        ·
        23 hours ago

        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.