Friday morning news: January 12, 2024

Airstrikes on Houthi targets » The U.S. and British militaries bombed more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen Thursday. Fighter jets struck Houthi targets from the air while warships launched Tomahawk missiles from nearby waters.

It was a massive strike in retaliation for attacks against commercial ships. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby:

KIRBY: These attacks against vessels in the Red Sea pose a direct threat to lives, to freedom of navigation, and to global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

Last week, the US and allied nations gave Houthi rebels what they called their final warning to halt the attacks for face a military response.

The Iran-backed terror group responded with its biggest attack yet on commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea.

The strikes marked the first U.S. military response to a campaign of drone and missile attacks since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Iran Ship seizure » Meantime, Washington is calling on Iran to release an oil tanker and its crew after it seized the vessel off the coast of Oman Thursday.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel:

PATEL: Iran and Iran-abled provocative actions like this are a menace to the global economy and it must cease. We in the United States will continue to work to deter and confront the full range of Iran's concerning and destabilizing behaviors.

Iran says it commandeered the Greek-owned vessel as payback for the U.S. confiscating the same vessel–and its oil last year as it enforced sanctions against Iran.

Israel hearing » Israel is defending itself at the U-N’s International Court of Justice with a hearing now underway after South Africa accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Tembeka Ngcukaitobi is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. He delivered opening statements yesterday.

NGCUKAITOBI: Israel has a genocidal intent against the Palestinians in Gaza. That is evident from the way in which Israel’s military attack is being conducted.

NETANYAHU: [SPEAKING HEBREW]

But Israel says it is Hamas that chooses to use civilians as human shields and that destroying the terror network is critical for Israel’s survival.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday denounced what he called an “upside-down world.”

NETANYAHU: [SPEAKING HEBREW]

He said, "We fight terrorists, and we fight lies. The State of Israel is accused of genocide while it is fighting genocide."

The court ultimately has no authority over Israel. And the United States would likely veto any resolution proposed within the UN Security Council to punish Israel.

Lloyd Austin IG probe » The Pentagon’s inspector general will be investigating Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s failure to report his recent hospitalization to the White House or Congress for several days after he checked in.

Republicans lawmakers say they have questions as well. Sen. Roger Wicker is a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee:

WICKER: Who did they tell? Who instructed them not to bring this to the attention of the President? And of the American public, and of the coequal—and of the members of the coequal branch of government.

Some Republicans have called for Austin’s resignation.

But the White House has rejected those calls.

Austin experienced complications after surgery related to prostate cancer. The secretary had also kept President Biden in the dark about his cancer diagnosis.

Inflation » Inflation surged unexpectedly in December. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: The Labor Department says the consumer price index rose three-tenths of one percent from November.

Analysts say soaring energy and housing costs are largely to blame.

The news makes it less likely that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates as some had hoped.

Inflation is down sharply from its 9.1% peak in 2022, but it remains stubbornly elevated, well above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.

American households are feeling the sting of inflation, particularly for essential items like groceries and rent. And 401(k) hardship withdrawals have spiked, underscoring the financial strain.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Trump civil fraud » In a Manhattan courtroom on Thursday, Donald Trump ripped into New York Attorney General Letitia James and others. In a fiery six-minute speech, he called the civil trial a political persecution.

The judge barred him from giving an official closing argument in the civil fraud trial involving his family business. But Judge Arthur Engoron did allow Trump to deliver an impromptu speech before breaking for lunch.

He later told reporters:

TRUMP: It’s all a conspiracy to try and get Biden, who can’t put two sentences together — trying to get him into office.

He called the attorney general “corrupt.” But James fired back:

JAMES: This case has never been about politics or a personal vendetta. This case is about facts and the law. And Mr. Donald Trump violated the law.

James alleges that Trump’s company falsified numbers it used in business contracts. But this, again, this is not a criminal trial.

Judge Engoron presided over the case without a jury and will announce his decision in the weeks ahead.

His previous rulings indicated that he’ll likely find Trump and his co-defendants liable on some claims.

James wants to bar Trump from doing business in New York and fine his company nearly $400 million dollars.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Culture Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus, a different kind of faith-based film.

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