Amid Escalating Tension In Red Sea, Senior Houthi Officials: ‘U.S. Has No Rights In Red Sea;’ Yemen’s Territorial Waters ‘Will Become Graveyard For Israeli Ships If They Violate Yemeni Sovereignty’

Following the December 3, 2023 attacks by the Houthi Ansar Allah movement against three commercial ships in the Red Sea and against the Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer USS CARNEY – which responded to distress calls and provided assistance – on the same day, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a statement in which it asserted, among other things that, “These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security. They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world… The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners.”[1] At the same time, Israeli media reported that following the Houthi attacks, Israel was sending ships and submarines to the Red Sea.[2]

Is Iraq’s top court a pro-Iran political tool?

A recent decision by Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court to remove Mohammed al-Halbousi from the position of speaker in the Iraqi parliament has reignited discussion regarding the constitutional legitimacy of the court’s rulings.

The development has prompted many to question whether the court’s decisions are driven by constitutional principles or influenced by political motives.

IDF says Hamas firing rockets from Gaza safe zones as civilian scramble for shelter

Military says terror group launched projectiles from next to tents housing civilians; troops push further into Khan Younis, Jabaliya; 5 soldiers killed, taking ground op toll to 89

Rockets fired at Israel on Wednesday were launched from within humanitarian zones set up in Gaza to allow civilians a safe haven, Israel’s military charged Thursday, as troops pressed into major Hamas strongholds in northern and southern Gaza amid heavy fighting.

Houthis in Yemen Target Vessels in Red Sea

Latest Developments

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen fired a ballistic missile and drones at three commercial vessels on December 3. Additionally, the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, downed a drone headed in its direction, though the “specific target” of the attack was unclear, according to a United States Central Command (CENTCOM) statement. “The weapons here are being supplied by Iran,” U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on December 4. “Iran, we believe, is the ultimate party responsible for this.” CENTCOM said the United States, along with its partners, will “consider all appropriate responses” to the incidents.

Tehran’s terror proxy in Yemen targets Israel and international shipping

The Houthis, Tehran’s terror proxy in Yemen, boarded and seized the Israeli-linked Galaxy Leader cargo ship via Mi-171Sh helicopter in the Red Sea on Nov. 19, taking 25 crewmembers captive. This piracy, which follows recent Houthi missile and drone attacks against Israel, is part of a larger strategy by the Islamic Republic of Iran to undermine maritime security and American interests while attempting to encircle, attack, and exhaust Israel.

The ‘Ukraine Model’ for Intelligence Disclosure May Not be the New Normal

The war in Ukraine heralded a new era of public engagement for Defence Intelligence. However, the Israel–Hamas war has demonstrated that it is not a silver bullet for countering disinformation.

In the days and weeks following Hamas’s attack on Israel, and as the Israeli counteroffensive began, no daily intelligence updates were made public by Defence Intelligence in the UK’s Ministry of Defence. This sort of disclosure would not have been expected at all a few years ago. But during the build-up to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, then-Chief of Defence Intelligence Lt Gen (now Gen) James Hockenhull began briefing publicly that Russia was not drawing down its troops as the Kremlin had claimed. Public commentary on ongoing crises from within the UK’s intelligence establishment was unprecedented at the time. It placed the UK in clear defiance of Russian disinformation, and strongly signalled the UK’s resolve to counter Russian narratives surrounding the war.

8 Hanukkah Traditions and Their Origins

From lighting a menorah, to giving out gelt, to eating cheese—find out how these Hanukkah traditions began.

Each year, Jews around the world celebrate an eight-day winter holiday known as Hanukkah (also spelled “Chanukah” and several other ways) on the 25th day of the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar, typically falling in November or December on the Gregorian calendar.

8 Things You Should Know About Hanukkah

The eight-day Festival of Lights marks an event dating to the second century B.C.E.

  1. What Does Hanukkah Celebrate?

Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem during the second century B.C., following the triumph of a small group of Jewish rebels, known as the Maccabees, against their oppressors the Greek-Syrians, who had defiled the temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls. In order to rededicate the temple, the Maccabees had to light a menorah that would burn within the temple at all times. However, they only had enough pure olive oil to last for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, leaving time to find a fresh supply of oil.