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CENTCOM: USS Carney Launched Tomahawk Land Attack Missile Against Houthi Radar Site – HEATHER MONGILIO JANUARY 12, 2024 11:09 PM

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG-64) patrols in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, Dec. 6. US Navy Photo

USS Carney (DDG-64) launched a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile against a Houthi radar site in Yemen at 3:45 a.m. local time Saturday, U.S. Central Command announced in a Friday night release.

The strike comes the day after the U.S. and United Kingdom launched a series of strikes across 28 locations in Yemen, with multiple targets hit, USNI News previously reported. The U.S. and U.K. strikes, supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, were in response to the Houthis’ attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. There have been 28 attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since Nov. 19, according to the Central Command release.

The 28th attack was a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis Friday following the Thursday strikes. While Central Command counts attacks since Nov. 19, the Houthis first began firing toward the Red Sea and Israel as early as Oct. 19, when Carney shot down a number of drones and missiles launched by the Houthis toward Israel.

While U.S. ships like Carney are currently part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, the strikes are separate from the defensive coalition.

Carrier Air Wing 3 from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), USS Gravely (DDG-107), USS Mason (DDG-87) and USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) were involved in the Thursday strikes, USNI News previously reported. An Ohio-class submarine, likely USS Florida (SSGN-728), was also involved.

At least 80 Tomahawks were fired as part of the strikes, according to Military.com.

Outside of the ballistic missile, which did not hit any ships in the Red Sea, the Houthis have not retaliated, but the Department of Defense does expect a response, Director of the Joint Forces Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims told reporters Friday.

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Houthis Fire Anti-Ship Missile at USS Laboon – HEATHER MONGILIO JANUARY 14, 2024 11:17 PM

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG-58) transits the Suez Canal, Dec. 18. US Navy Photo

U.S. fighter aircraft shot down an anti-ship cruise missile the Houthis fired toward USS Laboon (DDG-58), U.S. Central Command announced Sunday night.

Central Command’s release did not specify the aircraft that shot down the missile or the military branch. The fighter aircraft shot down the missile off the coast of Al-Hudaydah, according to the release.

There were no reports of damage or injury following the strike.

The attack on Laboon comes after two days of strikes by the U.S. and the United Kingdom on Houthi targets in Yemen. During the strikes, which involved a number of warships and aircraft, the U.S. and U.K. hit sites that included radar systems, production facilities and munition depots, USNI News previously reported.

The Houthis promised retaliation for the strikes. Yemeni Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf Abdullah gave the United Nations a letter of protest against the U.S. and U.K. strikes.

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam took to social media site X to call the strikes a “blatant violation of national sovereignty.”

“On top of the 100 days of Israeli aggression against Gaza, we affirm that the hostile measures by America against Yemen will not prevent the armed forces from continuing to implement their religious, humanitarian and moral commitment in support of the Palestinian people and their valiant resistance by continuing to target ships belonging to the enemy entity and heading to the ports of occupied Palestine until the aggression stops and the siege on Gaza,” Abdulsalam said on X.

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UK to deploy 20,000 service personnel to huge Nato military exercise 15th January 2024 at 11:30am

Ex Blunting Strike soldiers form the Experimentation and Task Group 22112023 CREDIT MOD

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps delivered a major speech at Lancaster House, to set out his vision for the UK to deter threats (Picture: MOD)

Twenty thousand British soldiers, sailors and aviators will be deployed by land, sea and air across Europe to participate in a huge Nato exercise later this year.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has announced the deployment of Navy, Army and RAF members to the 31-nation drill across Europe during a speech in London today.

Exercise Steadfast Defender will provide “vital reassurance against the Putin menace” as Mr Shapps warns the West stands at a “crossroads”.

The war games come after ministers announced the RAF airstrikes, with the US, on the Houthis in Yemen, and a further £2.5bn support package to Ukraine

Mr Shapps has set out his vision for how the UK will deter threats, as allies remain concerned about the threat posed by Mr Putin as his war approaches its second year.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps giving a speech at London's Lancaster House 15012024 NO REUSE CREDIT PA WIRE, PA IMAGES.jpg
Defence Secretary Mr Shapps said his commitment to getting Armed Forces personnel the resources they need to do their job is “iron cast” (Picture: PA)

‘We stand at a crossroads’

In the Lancaster House speech, Mr Shapps said: “We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies, prepared to lead our allies and prepared to defend our nation, whenever the call comes.

“Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers, old enemies are reanimated, battle lines are being redrawn, the tanks are literally on Ukraine’s lawn and the foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core.

“We stand at a crossroads.”

Mr Shapp added that his commitment to getting Armed Forces personnel the resources they need to do their job is “iron cast”.

“Our great resource has always been the men and women who work tirelessly to protect our nation, but to defend our nation from the increasing dangers of tomorrow they must have what they need to do the job.”

He added: “That’s why this Conservative government has already taken vital steps to increase defence spending”.

Watch: How Nato’s newest multinational battlegroup stays ready for combat.

The deployment will see the UK use the RAF’s most up-to-date fighter jets and surveillance aircraft, the Royal Navy’s most advanced warships and submarines, and a full range of the Army’s capabilities – from logistics to armour to special operations forces.

Some 16,000 troops with tanks, artillery and helicopters will be deployed from the British Army across Eastern Europe starting next month as part of the exercise.

The Royal Navy will deploy more than 2,000 sailors across eight warships and submarines, while more than 400 Royal Marines Commandos will be sent to the Arctic Circle.

The RAF will use F-35B Lightning attack aircraft and Poseidon P-8 surveillance aircraft.

Forces News has taken a look at what is known about the numbers and equipment being sent here.

Watch: F-35B ‘Beast Mode’ on HMS Prince of Wales pushing jet’s capabilities.

Defence sources said that the exercise will prepare for the invasion of a member state by any aggressor, with the main threats being considered to be Russia and terrorism.

Labour backed the commitment of UK forces to Nato, but said Mr Shapps’s speech was “little more than PR spin”.

“Grant Shapps is reheating old announcements from other people,” a party spokesman said.

“The PM confirmed 20,000 UK troops will exercise in Europe three months ago, while Nato released details of Steadfast Defender four months ago.”

Ukrainian training

Mr Shapps confirmed in his speech that the UK has now trained more than 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers.

The Defence Secretary also warned the international community that they cannot let its support “slip” now as Vladimir Putin believes “the West lacks staying power”.

“Since the future world order is at stake, we must prove him wrong,” Mr Shapps said.

Watch: In September, a British Army instructor praised Ukrainians training in UK.

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