Yemen news live: US says Houthis targeted naval destroyer with anti-ship cruise missile

Laura Kuenssberg challenged Keir Starmer if it is time as Labour leader to call for a ceasefire.

Sir Keir said: “I do think we need a sustainable ceasefire. The question is how do we get there?”

He added that we need a “humanitarian truce” to allow aid to get in, as well as the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

However, when pushed once more, he confirmed he is not calling for an immediate ceasefire.

“Remember, this is the same gang that ‘surrendered’ in Afghanistan, where no one was held accountable or FIRED,” Mr Trump claimed. “It was the most embarrassing ‘moment’ in the history of the United States. Now we have wars in Ukraine, Israel, and Yemen, but no ‘war’ on our Southern Border. Oh, that makes a lot of sense. Crooked Joe Biden is the worst President in the history of the United States!”

Commenting on Lord’s Cameron interview, The Independent’s editor in chief said: “The worry is, are we getting into something we can’t get out of?

“What is being argued by both Cameron and Starmer is correct, but yes there are amber, maybe red, lights flashing.”

When it comes to US military strikes, the UK is used to being a loyal, junior helper – but after coordinated action against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, London should be asking Washington: what’s the plan… and how do we get out of this one?

When asked why parliament was not consulted on the Houthi attacks, Lord Cameron said it was necessary to take quick action to launch the strikes in Yemen for reasons of operational security.

He said “he doesn’t think it would have been right” to have a debate in parliament before the strikes. However, there will be a statement in the Commons tomorrow.

Huge explosions were seen in Yemeni cities including Sana’a and Hodeidah in the early hours of Friday, with the US military saying 60 strikes were launched against 16 sites linked to the Houthis’ military operations.

Below, The Independent looks at how the attacks unfolded and what weapons were used in the strikes:

A US fighter aircraft intercepted and destroyed a missile launched from Yemen toward the USS Laboon destroyer in the Red Sea, according to the US Central Command. The incident occurred in the vicinity of the coast of Hodeidah, a port city in the west of Yemen.

The US Central Command wrote on X: “On Jan. 14 at approximately 4:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), an anti-ship cruise missile was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon (DDG 58), which was operating in the Southern Red Sea. The missile was shot down in the vicinity of the coast of Hudaydah by U.S. fighter aircraft. There were no injuries or damage reported.”

Lord Cameron said the attacks on Yemen “send a very clear message”.

Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC, the foreign secretary said: “We are prepared to back our words with actions. That is what we want the Houthis to know.”

Lord Cameron has said that calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas “can make you feel better”, but said “it’s not actually going to be sustainable”.

“You’re not really doing something that is going to bring this situation to an end,” the foreign secretary said.

He added: “I want it to be sustainable. And you can’t have a situation where Hamas are still in power, still launching rockets, still capable of launching terrorist attacks against Israel. “That’s not going to be a sustainable ceasefire.”

The Independent’s editor in chief Geordie Greig is on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg as the presenter interviews Lord Cameron and Keir Starmer.