Tuesday Briefing: Attacks in Yemen

The U.S. and Britain struck sites controlled by the Houthis.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 23, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering strikes by Britain and the U.S. in Yemen, and disagreements over the plan for Gaza. Plus: Memoirs of 100 words or less. Houthi fighters in Yemen on Monday. Associated Press Expanded attacks in Yemen The U.S. and Britain carried out large-scale military strikes against eight sites in Yemen controlled by Houthi militants, according to the two countries. The strikes — the eighth in two weeks — signaled that the Biden administration was intending to wage a sustained campaign against the Iran-backed group, which has disrupted traffic in vital international sea lanes. The strikes, which hit several targets at each site, were bigger than other recent attacks, yet smaller than the first retaliatory salvos on Jan. 11. That middle ground reflects the administration's attempt to chip away at the Houthis' military capacity without killing large numbers of fighters and commanders, which could risk unleashing even more mayhem into the region. Yet the U.S.-led strikes, in an operation the military calls Poseidon Archer, have so far failed to deter the Houthis from attacking shipping lanes to and from the Suez Canal that are critical for global trade. The Iran-backed group said it will keep up its attacks as a protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza against Hamas. Statement: "Let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threat," the American and British governments said. The Netherlands, Australia, Canada and Bahrain, as in the Jan. 11 strikes, also participated, providing logistics, intelligence and other support, according to U.S. officials. Josep Borrell Fontelles, the E.U.'s top diplomat, right, with Yisrael Katz, Israel's foreign minister. Pool photo by John Thys A fraught meeting between the E.U. and Israel In a closed-door meeting, E.U. foreign ministers pressed Israel's top diplomat yesterday to ease civilian suffering in Gaza and move toward supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Israel's foreign minister, Yisrael Katz, surprised the 27 E.U. foreign ministers by screening a video of a pet project that would create an artificial island off Gaza as a logistics base to inspect cargo and passengers heading by sea into the territory. The island could also include housing for Palestinians. The plan, Israeli officials said, was not an official government policy. Palestinian officials, Arab leaders and the Biden administration have said they strongly oppose any effort to resettle people from Gaza outside the enclave. The meeting followed statements in recent days by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel doubling down on his opposition to a two-state solution. Background: The U.N. voted in 1947 to create an independent Arab state alongside a Jewish one, but the plan was rejected by neighboring Arab governments and Palestinian Arabs who wanted more land. In the years since, plans for a two-state solution have been proposed and stymied by both Palestinian and Israeli leaders. In other news from the war: The area around Khan Younis in southern Gaza is "essentially besieged," a spokeswoman for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said. Protesters stormed a meeting at Israel's Parliament as anger over hostages grew. António Guterres, the head of the U.N., called the death toll in Gaza "unacceptable" with the Gazan Health Ministry saying the figure had surpassed 25,000. Rishi Sunak, the British prime minister. Pool photo by Richard Pohle Sunak's immigration plan failed a key test In a symbolic setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain, the House of Lords voted to delay a treaty that would allow Britain to place asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda. In practical terms, the vote has limited impact because the House of Lords, the unelected upper chamber of Parliament, does not have the power to prevent the treaty from coming into force. But it suggests that the Lords may try to amend the broader legislation, and it may also strengthen future legal challenges by asylum seekers against their deportation to the African country. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS Around the World Gianni Cipriano for The New York Times The small Italian town of San Giovanni Lipioni has the oldest average population in an aging nation. It's trying to lure new residents. A landslide in Yunnan Province, in southwestern China, left at least 11 people dead and more than 30 others buried, according to the Chinese state media. Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, began a four-nation trip in Africa, intended to show the Biden administration's continued interest in the continent. A sexual assault lawsuit against Gérard Depardieu has been dropped because it was past the statute of limitations, French prosecutors said. A powerful storm diverted dozens of flights in Britain and Ireland on Sunday and Monday, stranding passengers and sending some to Germany, France and elsewhere. Other Big Stories Ruth Fremson/The New York Times See the latest news from the final day of campaigning before the presidential primary election in New Hampshire, the first in the country. Facing a backlash, some corporate leaders in the U.S. have gone "under the radar" with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. President Vladimir Putin of Russia derided celebrities who were "jumping around without pants" at a party. Some guests are trying hard to make amends. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was diagnosed with a serious type of skin cancer less than a year after she underwent a mastectomy for breast cancer. A cancer research institute in Boston is seeking to retract or correct dozens of research papers after a British scientist found that they contained faulty data. What Else Is Happening Republican presidential candidates in the U.S. have floated the idea of a border wall with Canada. After a visit to the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz, Elon Musk, who has been criticized for comments many called antisemitic, declared himself "aspirationally Jewish." Federal regulators in the U.S. recommended that airlines inspect door plugs on Boeing 737-900ER planes, the company's second model to come under scrutiny this month. Here's what to expect from today's Oscar nominations. A Morning Read Brian Ulrich for The New York Times At a New England college, seven students died over six terrible months in the depths of the coronavirus pandemic, as an unthinkable mental health crisis forced professors and administrators to take on the unofficial role of counselors. For months, it seemed as though no one could bear eye contact, one dean said, adding, "In that pain, you usually don't want to — if I look you in the eye, I could feel your pain." Lives Lived The filmmaker Norman Jewison, who earned Academy Award nominations for best director for "In the Heat of the Night," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Moonstruck," died on Saturday at 97. SPORTS NEWS Nonstop parties: How Ivory Coast, the host, is watching the Africa Cup of Nations. Salary gaps: Can they cause a rift in soccer locker rooms? A 3:40 a.m. finish: The latest example of why tennis has to change. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. ARTS AND IDEAS Teen Tiny Memoirs The Times asked students to tell stories from their lives in 100 words or less. Out of thousands of submissions, these are two of our editors' favorites. Read the 15 winning stories. Entangled Braces. In a quiet school corner, I had my very first kiss. Nervous and excited, my heart raced. Unexpectedly, our braces became entangled. What a silly mishap. Awkward laughter erupted initially. We attempted to twist in opposite directions for a quick fix. But as time passed, the ache in my teeth intensified, and saliva started to leak uncontrollably. Our efforts were futile, and panic crept over us like a dark shadow. Hastily, we made our way to the infirmary, our movements resembling startled crabs. The school nurse gently untangled us, her shoulders shaking, trying to suppress her laughter. — Ruiqing Zhao, 17. multiplication and division. When my mom met Steve, I was worried that the love she had for me would divide. Especially with the addition of his son, I thought my home would be cramped and loud. At first, I was correct. My room had to be shared. My house became louder. These changes made me resent my stepbrother, Steve and, at some points, my mother. That was until I went to Steve's office, and next to the framed pictures of my stepbrother was a framed picture of me. Seeing how he accepted me made me understand: Love doesn't divide. It multiplies. — Oliver Watson, 14. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS David Malosh for The New York Times Cook: There's a reason this dish is known as "marry me" chicken. Game: Palworld, which puts machine guns into the hands of cute creatures, is currently one of the most popular video games on the planet. Clean: You don't need to dry clean these fabrics, no matter what the label says. Listen: Dolly Parton's cover of "The Entertainer," and several other recently released songs, grabbed our critics' attention. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha P.S. Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018