The U.S. and U.K. raids on Houthi bases in Yemen are the latest development in a war that has seen tensions widen in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and the Red Sea since October 7, the day of Hamas' attacks on Israel.
* OCTOBER 7, HAMAS ASSAULTS
ISRAELThe Jewish state reacts by launching an offensive in Gaza. In the days that followed, the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis declared their support for Hamas and said they would target any ship bound for Israel.
* OCTOBER 9, BORDER WITH LEBANON
IGNITEDHezbollah engages the Israeli army along with other Islamic Jihad soldiers in a shootout on the border, preceded and followed by artillery bombardments against uninhabited areas of southern Lebanon. The exchanges of attacks will continue throughout the next weeks of the war, with the exception of the truce over the exchange of hostages and prisoners decreed by Hamas and Israel in November.
* OCTOBER 12, ISRAELI STRIKES IN SYRIA
Air raids attributed to the Jewish state against airports in Aleppo and Damascus: in the attacks, Iranian weapons depots guarded by the pro-Iranian Lebanese Hezbollah present in Syria are targeted.
* OCTOBER 18-19, DRONES AGAINST U.S. BASES IN SYRIA AND IRAQ
Two UAVs target the al Asad air base in western Iraq, another drone is launched on a base in the north. U.S. forces intercept all three, destroying two but damaging only the third, which resulted in minor injuries among coalition forces at the western base. At the same time, Arab media are reporting attacks on U.S. military bases in Syria.
* OCTOBER 19 – A U.S. WARSHIP SHOOTS DOWN THREE MISSILES FIRED FROM YEMEN AND HEADED NORTH
It is not immediately certain whether the rockets were aimed at Israel, but a U.S. official said Washington did not believe the ship was the target of the attack after Houthi rebels threatened Israel.
* OCTOBER 26, U.S. STRIKES IN SYRIA
U.S. military jets, on the orders of Joe Biden, attack Iranian-backed militant groups in Syria that had struck U.S. troops in the country and Iraq.
* NOVEMBER 2, MILITANTS ATTACK ISRAEL FROM IRAQ
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claims responsibility for an attack on a target on Israel's Dead Sea coast. This is the first attack on Israel from Iraqi territory during the war.
* NOVEMBER 19, THE HOUTHIS HIJACK A FREIGHTER
Yemeni militias attack a merchant ship in the Red Sea, accusing it of being linked to an Israeli businessman, and take control of it. Israel claims that the ship is not Israeli and that there are no Israelis in its crew. More attacks on commercial vessels in the area will follow, with 26 vessels targeted so far.
* 16 DECEMBER, MSC HALTS ROUTES OVER THE RED
SEAThe world's largest shipping group, the Mediterranean Shipping Company, announces the disruption of Red Sea routes due to Houthi attacks, which continue throughout the month. The decision follows similar measures taken by other international shipowners, including Maersk.
* DECEMBER 18, US ANNOUNCES ANTI-HOUTHI
COALITIONThe United States announced a coalition of 10 nations against Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, with Britain, France, Italy and Bahrain among the countries that initially joined the multinational security initiative.
* JANUARY 2, HAMAS'S
NUMBER TWO KILLED IN AN ISRAELI RAID IN BEIRUTThe deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, Saleh Arouri, was killed in an Israeli attack on a Beirut suburb. Kalil Al Hayya, a senior official of the Palestinian militia group, and Samir Effendi (known as Abu Amer), Hamas' main contact with the Houthis, also died in the raid.
* JANUARY 9 – U.S. REPELS A DRONE RAIN OVER THE RED SEA.
The British warship HMS Diamond, along with U.S. warships, successfully repels the largest Houthi attack in the Red Sea to date.
* JANUARY 10 – UN CALLS FOR AN END TO HOUTHI
ATTACKSThe UN Security Council passes a resolution calling for an immediate end to Houthi attacks and upholding the right of member states to defend their ships.
* JANUARY 11 – U.S. AND UK ATTACK HOUTHI BASES IN YEMEN.
The United States and the United Kingdom launch raids against Houthi targets in response to the Yemeni group's attacks.
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