The United States and Britain struck dozens of targets in Yemen on Saturday in response to repeated attacks on shipping by Iran-backed Huthi rebels that have disrupted global trade and put lives at risk.

The joint air raids in Yemen come a day after a wave of unilateral American strikes against Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria that were carried out in response to the killing of three US soldiers in Jordan on January 28.

The strikes hit “36 Huthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen in response to the Huthis’ continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea,” the United States, Britain and other countries that provided support for the operation said in a statement.

“These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Huthis use to threaten global trade, and the lives of innocent mariners,” the statement said.

The assault “targeted sites associated with the Huthis’ deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, and radars.”

US forces earlier Saturday separately carried out strikes against six Huthi anti-ship missiles that were “prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea,” the Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The military command also said Saturday that US forces shot down eight drones near Yemen the day before and destroyed four more before they could be launched.

CENTCOM said the four drones hit on the ground belonged to the Huthis, but did not identify a country or group linked to those that were shot out of the air.

The Huthis began targeting Red Sea shipping in November, saying they were hitting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, which has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war.

US and British forces have responded with strikes against the Huthis, who have since declared American and British interests to be legitimate targets as well.

In addition to strikes against the Huthis, the United States set up a multinational naval task force aimed at protecting shipping on the transit route, which carries up to 12 percent of global trade.

Anger over Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza — which began after an unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7 — has grown across the Middle East, stoking violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Last weekend, a drone slammed into a base in Jordan, killing three US soldiers and wounding more than 40 — an attack Washington blamed on Iran-backed forces.

The United States responded Friday with strikes against dozens of targets at seven Tehran-linked facilities in Iraq and Syria, but did not hit Iranian territory.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

15 people, including two government officials, have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh for their alleged involvement in a massive wedding fraud.

The scam was unearthed after a video showing brides at a mass wedding event garlanding themselves went viral on social media. Visuals also show some men dressed as grooms hiding their faces.

The community wedding was held on January 25 in the Balia district of Uttar Pradesh.

Officials say about 568 couples got married at the event, however, later it was found that several were paid to pose as brides and grooms.

A local alleged that both men and women were paid between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 for posing as brides and grooms. “Some Women had no one. They were wearing the varmala (garland) themselves. We came to know that people are being paid between Rs 500 to Rs 2,000,” Vimal Kumar Pathak said.

A 19-year-old man told NDTV that he was offered money to pose as a groom. “I went there to see the wedding. They made me sit there. They said that they will give me money. Many were being made to sit,” said Raj Kumar.

BJP MLA Ketki Singh was the Chief Guest at the community wedding.

On being asked about the involvement of the government officials in the alleged fraud, MS Singh said, “They informed me just two days before the event. I had suspected there was something fishy. But now a complete investigation is being done” she said.

According to the government website, the government provides Rs 51,000 under this scheme, of which Rs 35,000 goes to the girl, Rs 10,000 for purchasing wedding material and Rs 6,000 for the event.

Officials said this scam was unearthed before any money could be transferred to the accused. “We immediately formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter and verify all the beneficiaries. Till the time the complete investigation is not done, no benefits will be transferred to beneficiaries,” they said.

The media’s question on why a woman sarpanch’s brother-in-law was representing her at a Samajwadi Party event drew a sharp response from party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Asked why the sarpanch was not present and her brother-in-law was filling in for her, Mr Yadav had a counter question: “Why are all of you (reporters) male?”

The exchange took place at an event to distribute laptops among students who had performed well in exams. The event was being held at the Belhara panchayat area in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district. The organiser was local sarpanch Shabana Khatun, but she was missing. What’s more, her name was not on the hoardings either. Instead, her brother-in-law Ayaz Khan was present. It was his photograph on the posters, with “chairman” written next to him.

The Belhara panchayat seat is reserved for women. In the last polls, Ms Khathun was elected from there. But local residents say she never attends any panchayat event. It is her brother-in-law who takes all decisions of the panchayat, local residents say. Official documents are sent to the sarpanch’s home to be signed.

In fact, in several such reserved seats, husbands and other male relatives of woman sarpanches are known to be the de-facto sarpanch and the elected women do little more than sign documents.

At the event, a group of reporters asked Mr Yadav how a male relative representing a woman sarpanch can send a message of women empowerment. “Is this anything new? So many pradhanpatis (husbands of pradhans) are here. If this even a topic? Now, if I ask, why are all of you (reporters) male?” Mr Yadav replied to cheers from his supporters.

He then asked one of the reporters if there was no woman reporter in his channel who could have been sent for the event. “Send someone else then,” Mr Yadav said with a smile, adding, “I am only replying to your question.”