Hello everyone, welcome to “News Talk”, I am Fu Yao. Today is March 17, Monday.
Today’s focus: Chaos in the Red Sea? US Military Strikes! Fighter Jets and Missiles in Action, Airstrikes on Houthi Rebels, Intense Pressure on Iran! Ukrainian Army shrinks by more than 900 square kilometers; Trump and Putin to have second discussion this week, negotiations for ceasefire and end of war!
Our guests for this episode are: Mark, host of the military channel “Mark’s Time and Space”; Qin Peng, current affairs commentator and senior political and economic analyst.
On March 15, US President Trump ordered a large-scale airstrike on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. This attack resulted in at least 31 deaths and 101 injuries. It is expected that this operation will continue for several days.
This is the first time since President Trump took office in January that the US has attacked the Houthi rebel organization, which has repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea during the Gaza conflict.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia, is subordinate to the US Department of Defense and based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. The official X account of Central Command released footage of missile launches and multiple fighter jets taking off from aircraft carriers, let’s take a look.
Footage from Reuters shows the scene of the attack in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, with smoke billowing and faint prayers of the people can be heard from loudspeakers.
US National Security Advisor Waltz stated that this action is an overwhelming response aimed at eliminating multiple Houthi leaders and pressuring Iran.
Waltz: “These actions are different from the sporadic, back-and-forth, and ultimately ineffective attacks of the past. This is an overwhelming response specifically against multiple Houthi leaders and eliminating them. The difference here is: first, targeting the Houthi leadership; second, holding Iran accountable. Iran has repeatedly provided funding, resources, training to the Houthi rebels, helping them not only target US warships but also conduct attacks on global commercial activities, aiding the rebels in closing down the world’s two most strategically significant sea routes.
We have inherited a bad situation. This will be part of ongoing efforts to correct this mistake and reopen global commerce.”
President Trump later posted on “Truth Social” about the incident, stating, “These Iran-funded Houthi thugs fired missiles at American planes and launched attacks against our troops and allies.” He also added that the Houthi rebels’ “piracy, violence, and terrorism” have caused “billions of dollars” in losses and threaten lives.
President Trump said he would “employ overwhelming deadly force until we achieve our objectives.” He also warned Iran to stop supporting the Houthi rebels, otherwise Tehran would “bear full responsibility, and we will not be kind.”
The Houthi rebels, through their affiliated Al-Masirah TV, issued a statement vowing that the attacks “will not end without a response.”
Since November 2023, the Houthi rebels have launched missile, drone, and small boat attacks on dozens of merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They have sunk two ships, seized one, and caused the deaths of four crew members. During this time, Western countries have continually dispatched warships to protect merchant ships and have carried out multiple rounds of airstrikes on the Houthi rebels, but the deterrent effect is not significant.
According to the US Congress, from November 2023 to October 2024, the Houthi rebels launched 190 attacks in the Red Sea.
1. Mr. Mark, we have been following US mediation in the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East, and suddenly this shocking news emerged over the weekend. Are you shocked? Why did the US military launch this strike?
2. Mr. Qin Peng, the Houthi rebels have been supported by Iran, continuously attacking Red Sea merchant ships, disrupting global supply chains. Besides military conflict, do you see any economic considerations in this attack? Which countries are most affected economically? Is the US behind this attack? How significant is the damage on the economic front?
3. Mr. Mark, in addition, Al-Masirah TV, operated by the Houthi rebels, reports, “The US and UK launched an invasion attack on a residential area in Shuub, Sanaa.” British authorities have not commented immediately.
However, on February 4, the US also hit a ground-to-ground cruise missile and four anti-ship missiles, which were ready to be fired at ships in the Red Sea. Before that, the US and UK conducted 36 joint strikes on 13 military targets in Yemen.
So, is it possible that the UK participated in this thorough attack on the Houthi rebels this time?
4. Mr. Qin Peng, if the UK participated, what signal does this release? Previously, there were concerns outside about cracks in the relationship between the US and European allies in responding to the Russia-Ukraine war issue?
5. Mr. Mark, this attack reminds people of the US Navy launching 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles from a Burke-class destroyer in the Mediterranean during the Syrian civil war in 2017.
These two incidents were ordered by the president, who is also the commander-in-chief of the military. What similarities are there between these two incidents?
The ongoing progress towards a ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine finally has new developments.
After US Middle East envoy Vitkov visited Russia for the second time, he stated to the media on Sunday that President Trump is expected to have a phone call with Russian President Putin this week to discuss the way to end the war. He anticipated that this call would be “very good and positive.”
President Trump also told reporters on Sunday that although the situation regarding the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire is complex, progress is going quite smoothly with communication between the US and Russia. Trump expressed his belief that Putin would ultimately agree to a ceasefire.
6. Mr. Qin Peng, it has been almost a week since the negotiations between the US and Ukraine on March 11. If Trump talks to Putin this week, do you expect a ceasefire to be reached? Based on the current situation, what are the obstacles to a ceasefire on both sides?
With regard to Trump’s push for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, he has already had a lengthy discussion with Putin. What differences do you expect in the content of this call compared to the previous one?
7. Mr. Mark, at the end of February, after Ukrainian President Zelensky evacuated from the White House, on March 5, the US suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine and recently stopped providing satellite image services, greatly diminishing the situational awareness of Ukrainian forces on the battlefield, directly affecting their defense capabilities in Kursk.
Russia has begun a major counterattack, especially between the 7th and 11th, Russian and North Korean forces cooperated again to regain a significant amount of lost territory in the Kurks region. Previously, Ukrainian forces controlled over 1300 square kilometers of land here, but as of the 11th, the area controlled by Ukrainian forces has shrunk significantly to only 110 square kilometers.
Fortunately, after the US engagement, the US immediately resumed intelligence support for Ukraine. However, given the current situation, are Ukrainian forces still in a very disadvantageous position?
From a military perspective, why is Putin so eager to launch this “counteroffensive”? Additionally, it is widely known that North Korea has sent troops to support Russia. Could this be considered the start of a third world war?
Does the increasing intensity of attacks on the Russia-Ukraine battlefield currently indicate that the war is nearing an end?
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