Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.S. and U.K. Carry Out Strikes Against Iran-Backed Houthis In Yemen; Israeli Attack On Ambulance Kills 6, Palestine Red Crescent Says; South Africa Accuses Israel Of Genocide And Urges Top U.N. Court To Halt Gaza War; U.S. Fails To Fully Account For Arms Sent to Ukraine. Red Sea Turmoil Threatening Global Economy; Trump on Trial; Taiwan Election Days Away. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired January 12, 2024 - 01:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:20]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, welcome everyone. Appreciate your company. I'm Michael Holmes in Atlanta. First breaking news and concerns about a possible widening conflict in the Middle East. The U.S. and U.K. have been hitting Houthi targets in Yemen. And to show you new images now that shows smoke hanging over the skyline in a western Yemeni port city as the sun begins to come up there.

The coalition strikes following a surge of attacks by the Iran backed rebels on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. American fighter jets have been taking off from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier to carry out their strikes. A senior U.S. military official says it is unclear what percentage of Houthi assets have been destroyed inside Yemen. But he says the amount was significant.

We're told U.S. and coalition forces hit more than 60 targets at 16 Houthi locations. And those targets included the militant's radar systems, along with storage and launch sites for ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.

And let's show you where they're located on the map there. The U.S. has gone after Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria in recent months. But this is the first known strike against the Houthis in Yemen, a clear sign of the growing alarm over the threat to international shipping in one of the world's most critical waterways.

The U.S. president issuing this statement, these targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world's most critical commercial routes. I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.

CNN's Paula Hancocks tracking all of this for us live from Abu Dhabi. Good to see Paula. So, is this likely to be short and limited or potentially something more prolonged?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Michael, we don't know for certain at this point, what we're being told by U.S. officials is that what happened overnight, Middle East time was targeted. They were specific targeted strikes against certain assets of the Houthi rebels to try and degrade their ability to continue to target commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

But we've also heard from U.S. officials saying that it is open ended. They have left the door open to be able to continue these strikes. One official saying this may well not be the last word on the topic. And when we have more to say and more to do, you will hear from us.

So they're leaving it very open ended there really that the thing is what will be the response from the Houthi rebels. We heard on Thursday from the leadership of this militia group that they would retaliate strongly if there were to be us attacks.

So I don't think anybody expects this to be the end of it. It's just what kind of response could we see from the Houthis and what that would provoke from the United States. Now, the U.S. has said that their intention is to try and degrade the ability of the Houthi rebels to be able to attack those in the Red Sea and also to go after U.S. assets. They believe that they have destroyed significant amounts of their capability, but no exact details on how far they've gone, Michael.

HOLMES: Yes. And a number of nations either took part or supported these strikes, how important would it have been for the U.S. to have other nations in support, as appears to be the case rather than act unilaterally?

HANCOCKS: It's significant that this comes after the U.N. Security Council Resolution which condemned the Houthis for their attacks in the Red Sea and also called on the rebel group to cease immediately these attacks so they had the backing of this U.N. Security Council Resolution, it was 11 in favor for abstentions, including Russia and China. That's the best you can hope for from the U.S. point of view with U.S. -- with Russia and China at this point.

So we did have strong support. The fact that they also have this operation in the Red Sea with a number of countries gives more credibility to what they are doing, Michael.

HOLMES: All right, Paula Hancocks there in Abu Dhabi for us. Thanks, Paula.

Now, Houthi militants are lashing out against the U.S. and U.K. over these strikes one senior leader issued a statement saying quote, we will confront America make it kneel down and burn its battleships and all its bases and everyone who cooperates with it, no matter the cost.

[01:05:13]

The Houthi leader also called on the world to prepare for America's defeat, and vowed not to abandon the people of Gaza. Now to Washington, I want to bring in CNN military analyst and retired

Air Force, Colonel Cedric Leighton. Good to see you, sir. So do you expect this to be short, sharp and focused? Or if the message isn't received could it broaden?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Michael, I think it could broaden. And I know the Pentagon is optimistic that they will have a short and sweet, so to speak, effect on the Houthis and make them really, in essence, stop the type of activities that they've been doing in the Red Sea.

But I don't think that's going to be the way that Houthis are going to handle this. What they will probably do is they will try to redouble their efforts. They will have to be some restrikes of some of the targets that were hit. And they'll probably be some new targets that the U.S. and the U.K. and other countries will probably have to engage before this has over.

HOLMES: Unintended consequences are always possible always feared what are the risks? Could you know, just for example, the Civil War be reignited the Saudi peace efforts derailed?

LEIGHTON: Yes, I think those are very valid concerns, Michael, because one of the key aspects of this environment was the fact that the Saudis were trying to in essence withdraw from their engagement in the Yemeni Civil War. So that process is a probably a grind to a halt, ground to a halt at this particular point.

And you also have a situation where this kind of activity on the part of the U.S., the U.K. and other countries, I has the risk of igniting this conflict in in a different way, perhaps than it was originally and that I will, I think, create some other dynamics within the region. And some of those can't quite get before seeing.

HOLMES: It's not a strike on Iran, not directly, but as the strike on a longtime Iranian proxy, how might Iran respond at all? And would a direct response be, you know, be direct or through proxies? I suppose it could. It also could happen anywhere in the region, right? It could happen in Syria or Iraq.

LEIGHTON: Yes, absolutely. It could certainly happen in any part of the Middle East. Most likely, it could also happen in other parts of the world, but it's most likely to occur in the Middle East, but probably through proxies. Because the Iranians don't want to at least not yet. They don't seem to want to directly confront the U.S. and its allies.

The other aspect of this is that the proxies that Iran has aren't necessarily as directly controlled as we sometimes think they are by the Iranians. So the Houthis might have one idea, whereas the Iranians in Tehran might have a different idea of how to proceed with this.

So I think the Iranians are going to be cautious. But I think there is a risk that this could further inflame tensions, and there might be some sympathetic strikes in places like Iraq or Syria, that will be tied to this action in the Red Sea. HOLMES: And for the U.S., what about the optics of this? I mean, could it could it be seen by some in the region as the U.S. getting involved in the Gaza war, importantly, on the side of Israel, given that the Houthi say they've been doing all of this for the people of Gaza?

LEIGHTON: Yes, I think that's a definite possible interpretation by many in Yemen, especially on the Houthi side. I ended -- I think it would be a misinterpretation of what the U.S. effort is the U.S. effort is designed to protect international commerce. It is not related to what the Israelis are doing in Gaza.

But the Houthis have conflated the issues and have made it very clear to their population that they believe these issues are connected to each other. And that of course, is going to present a major difficulty in terms of managing perceptions, and managing what happens next.

HOLMES: All right, Colonel Cedric Leighton. Always a pleasure, sir. Good to see you.

LEIGHTON: Good to see you too. Michael. Thank you.

HOLMES: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushing back at suggestions the war in Gaza is spreading in the region. He spoke during a visit to Egypt on Thursday before the US announced the strikes in Yemen. He said the conflict is not escalating, even though he recognized there are what he called danger points.

Egypt was the last stop in Blinken's latest diplomatic tour of the region, which was partially aimed at keeping the conflict contained. He said that goal is widely shared in the region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We're doing everything we can with very strong regional support, again, to make sure that this doesn't spread that there can't be a repeat of October 7, but also that this conflict comes to an end.

It is vital that as long as this is going on, every effort be made to make sure that civilians who are caught in a crossfire Hamas's making don't continue to suffer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:10:10]

HOLMES: The Hamas run health ministry in Gaza says Israeli attacks in the Enclave killed at least 112 people and wounded nearly 200 more over just the past 24 hours and wanting some of the images you're about to see our graphic.

Palestinian officials accused Israeli forces of committing 10 quote, massacres over Wednesday and Thursday, a number of victims reportedly still under the rubble and laying in the streets. Palestinian authorities say at least 32 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younis on Wednesday. Israel Defense Forces on Thursday said it quote thwarted what it called a terrorist cell.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent says a paramedic who photographed the devastation in Gaza was among the six people killed in an Israeli airstrike. The group accused Israel of targeting an ambulance in the Deir al Balah area. You can see the ambulance there severely damaged.

The paramedic was well known for sharing images of the war in Gaza, with his more than 130,000 followers on Instagram. The IDF did not immediately respond to a CNN question about that.

I want to take you now live to Gaza and Motaz Azaiza, a Palestinian journalist and photographer. It's great to speak with you. Israel says it's targeting Hamas, of course after the horrors of October 7 that it's avoiding civilian casualties. You're out there every day, documenting what's going on.

What do you see? Do you feel Israel is trying to avoid civilian casualties?

MOTAZ AZAIZA, PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER: Thank you for having me. Good morning or good evening to your time. For me from what I see no, they are not. They are not. Or they don't care about the civilian lives if they are targeting someone, or they -- or someone wanted to refer them even if there was like 1,000 person in the same building and then it's like -- and there's someone wanted for them, they will kill the 1,000 before they kill.

HOLMES: 10 percent of all registered journalists in Gaza have been killed according to official statistics, one in 10. Israel says it never targets journalists. What's your view, though as somebody who's working there? Do you think or do you feel journalists are targeted as opposed to being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

AZAIZA: First, we are not an international journalist. So we are from the people of Gaza. We are Gazans. We are Palestinians. So the danger is all over the Gaza Strip. So whenever they target a place and we go to cover or whenever we are in a place and they are going to target we don't know. So some of the journalist got killed and Israel know that there is a journalist there because their drones is over sky all the time of the day so they know that there is a universe here but they don't care about our life.

There's a lot of yours got Kamza Dahdouh, the son of Wael al-Dahdouh the correspondent of Jazeera and most of them they are close friends to mind. We are colleagues and they got target on the car. They -- the Israel drone target their car as a lot of my colleagues, a lot of them if I will (INAUDIBLE) keep mentioning their names because I know all of them due to my work in the past two years in the Gaza Strip. And as you know, Gaza is a small area where everyone knows everyone.

HOLMES: Your Instagram account, and a lot of people might be surprised. Your Instagram account has 18 million followers. How big is the responsibility that you feel in showing the world what is happening in Gaza especially as fewer and fewer journalists are there to cover it. AZAIZA: First, I was like having just 24,000 followers the first day of this war then people followed me for -- because I'm showing the realities without any edits or without any effects, without even a sound effects and make elected people living the moments that are live with me. So I'm so close to the people hearts via this. In the first days there was a responsible that on my shoulders to show the people what is happening.

[01:15:05]

But after I have been going through in the past three months, and we are supposed to be like 100 day of this war I started to lose hope. I start to lose like -- it's almost -- it's not my responsibility anymore because I showed a footage forage for the people, it's the first time for them to see it to live. I believe in people. But from what I saw that they kept effect on their governments to stop this, so I lost my Bachelor's (ph).

HOLMES: It's hard to believe you're only 24 years old. And the work you're doing is seen by so many people. Documenting all of this though the devastation, the destruction, the deaths, people starving for food, it must be exhausting.

So what keeps you going? What makes you determined to continue rather than take shelter somewhere and be as safe as you can be?

AZAIZA: First, for the people who are watching now there is no shelters in Gaza. Israel claims that people's, like go to the south so you can be protected. No one is protected. And they asked people to go to the south and they bombing more in the south.

So I'm a 24 what makes me continue first is the love of Gaza. Gaza is so beautiful place. And that's the most beautiful beach in the whole world. We love our strip. And we wish for a free state, a free country we can be like living our life as a normal people as around the world.

So what makes me continue it just like the love of my place. And because I was living here from my first life, I need -- like I want to see, again, beautiful, not distracted. For me, I'm like that people. I live in Yani (ph), can't keep filming every day. There's some days I'm trying to find food for my family, for people I have in mind my house and try to find diesel, so I keep moving. So I'm losing a lot of time, and you know, finding things for me so I can continue.

So it's dangerous. But I'm unclear even though I'm sure -- I'm showing to anyone because if any (INAUDIBLE) were targeted me because so, so close, they are just like 600 meters away from my house. Israel tanks and the snipers. I can even reach the end of my house because there's a sniper shooting anyone from the main way. I'm living near to the main way in the Deir al Balah in the middle area.

So I'm sure my location life even for the Israelis, even for the people who follow me. So if something happened, you should know that. They already know my location and they (INAUDIBLE).

HOLMES: You're a very courageous man, millions of people see your work every day. Motaz Azaiza, thank you so much for taking the time.

AZAIZA: Thank you.

HOLMES: Well, South Africa accused Israel of genocide in Gaza in a historic case that the UN's top court on Thursday, in the first of two days of hearings at the International Court of Justice. South Africa is calling on the court to order a hole to Israel's military campaign in Gaza, arguing that Israel's attacks are intended to quote bring about the destruction of the Enclave's Palestinian population. A lawyer for South Africa says the world has failed the people of Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLINNE NI GHRALAIGH, LAWYER REPRESENTING SOUTH AFRICA: despite the horror of the genocide against the Palestinian people being live streamed from Gaza to our mobile phones, computers and television screens, the first genocide in history where its victims are broadcasting their own destruction in real time, in the desperate so far vain hope that the world might do something. Gaza represents nothing short of a moral failure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: While with emotions running high both pro-Palestinian and pro- Israel demonstrators gathered outside the Court in the Hague. Israel will deliver its response in court in the coming hours. It strongly denies the allegations calling the case atrocious and preposterous.

[01:20:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): South Africa's hypocrisy screams to the high heavens where was South Africa when millions of people were being murdered and uprooted from their homes in Syria and Yemen by whom by Hamas's partners.

The world is upside down. Where were you? We know where we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Well, once the hearing concludes on Friday, it could be days or weeks before the judges issue a decision on ordering a halt to Israel's military campaign. Experts say it could take years before there's a final ruling on the question of genocide. CNN's Melissa Bell with more from The Hague.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (through translator): Passionate protests on the streets outside of court as inside South Africa laid out the details of their case.

RONALD LAMCIA, SOUTH AFRICAN JUSTICE MINISTER: Even an attack involving atrocity crimes can provide any justification for or difference to breaches to the convention. BELL (voice-over): Israel has denied all accusations calling the case a quote, blood libel. South Africa is accusing Israel of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention through its military response to the Hamas attack, which it says has killed more than 23,000 people.

ADILA HASSIM, SENIOR COUNCIL, SOUTH AFRICA: At least 200 times it has deployed 2,000 pound bombs in southern areas of Palestine designated as safe.

BELL (voice-over): South Africa is also accusing Israeli leaders of making no distinction between Hamas and the civilians of Gaza.

TEMBEKA NGCUKAITOBI, SENIOR COUNCIL, SOUTH AFRICA: The genocidal intent behind this statements is not ambiguous to the Israeli soldiers on the ground. Indeed, it is directing their actions and objectives. These are the soldiers repeating the inciting words of their Prime Minister.

BELL (voice-over): The movement welcomed by international groups and supported the Palestinian people with many noting the importance of Israel's presence to there to defend its response to the Hamas attacks on October 7th that killed at least 1,200 people.

BALKEES JARRAH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: The fact that they're here that they're represented, and that they are presenting their formal response to South Africa's case is significant, and suggests that they attach legitimacy to the court.

BELL: Israel will be making its case here on Friday, but just after the South African delegation had finished, a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed their claims, as groundless and false accusing them of being the representatives of Hamas in court.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And effective renovation of --

BELL (voice-over): But South Africa's goal, a call for the world court to order Israel to stop the war.

VUSIMUZI MADONSELA, SOUTHA FRICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE NETHERLANDS: The consequences of not indicating clear and particularized specific provisional measures would we fear be very grave indeed, for the Palestinians in Gaza, who remain at real risk of further genocidal acts.

BELL (voice-over): Melissa Bell, CNN, The Hague.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Now the U.S. has sent tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, but now we're learning some of the most sophisticated weapons supplied to Kyiv were not properly tracked. We'll have that more when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:27:17] HOLMES: Let's get you up to date on the breaking news. The U.S. and the U.K. have launched a series of air and sea based strikes on Houthi militants in Yemen. The Pentagon says targets include drone, missile, radar and surveillance sites. A senior U.S. military official describing the damage as significant. The strikes coming after weeks of attacks on commercial shipping by the Iran backed group. The U.S. says more than 2,000 ships have been forced to reroute to avoid the Red Sea.

The U.S. military has not properly tracked more than a billion dollars worth of weapons for Ukraine. That's according to a new report by the Pentagon's Inspector General. The weapons belong to a category that requires enhanced monitoring after their exports such as Javelin missiles and night vision equipment.

The watchdog says it's outside the scope of its investigation to find out exactly what happened to all that material by the Pentagon suggests there's no reason to believe foul play was involved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. PATY RYDER, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: There remains no credible evidence of illicit diversion of U.S. provided advanced conventional weapons from Ukraine. We do see some instances of Russia continuing to spread disinformation to the contrary. But the fact is we observed the Ukrainians employing these capabilities on the battlefield we're seeing them use them effectively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now the report came as congressional Republicans are of course stalling more than $60 billion in U.S. military aid for Ukraine. The findings could bolster their argument against sending more. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meanwhile making a case against pressing the pause button on the ongoing conflict with Russia. He visited Latvia and Estonia on Thursday as part of a trip that also included a stop in Lithuania.

Mr. Zelenskyy said that pausing the war would give Moscow a badly needed break before Russia would strike again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): To not allow the conflict to freeze, to not give Russia the opportunity to prepare for a powerful counter attack in a year, in two, in three, in five to not let them do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: In Estonia, Mr. Zelenskyy repeated his call for allowing Ukraine into NATO. He said Kyiv should be invited to the alliance of Summit in Washington this July.

Still to come here on the program, the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea threatening to disrupt international shipping and the global economy. I'll speak with an expert about the potential impact. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:29:49]

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Still to come here on the program, the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea threatening to disrupt international shipping and the global economy. I'll speak with an expert about the potential impact.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Welcome back.

We continue to follow the breaking news out of the Middle East where the U.S. Air Force says the U.S. and U.K. have struck more than 60 Houthi targets in Yemen, all in response to dozens of attacks by the pro-Iranian militia group on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

CNN's Nic Robertson with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: So those targets in the town in the southwest of Taizz and the western port city of Hudaydah along the border or close to the border were Saudi Arabia, the town of Sada (ph) and also around Sana'a, the capital, those targets there at radar sites, at ballistic missile launch and storage sites, cruise missile launch and storage sites, drone launch and storage sites.

[01:34:48]

ROBERTSON: Those are intended, as the coalition says, as the United States says to send a message, but they're intended to degrade the Houthi's ability to target shipping in the Red Sea.

But already the Houthis are saying that they are going to respond against U.S. and U.K. interests. It was U.K.'s Typhoon fighter jets that targeted two different sites. It was the United States; missiles and fighter aircraft that targeted other sites. The Houthis say that they're going to respond and it's not quite clear how they'll respond to U.K., U.S. interests in the region. How will they respond?

The potential here for escalation is very real and it could be that the Houthis continue to try to target shipping in the Red Sea to send a message.

Remembering, of course, that after October 7th, they began by trying to target Israel by sending cruise missiles to Israel and that some of those were intercepted by the United States, by the U.K., and also by Saudi Arabia.

So there are a number of different ways and places that the Houthis can target back. They've had a long running war against Saudi Arabia that only just ended not so long ago where they were sending long- range cruise missiles to the capital Riyadh. They've sent drones into the United Arab Emirates.

So there's a number of ways that they can destabilize in their own view U.K. and U.S. interests in the region by doing it not just in the Red Sea, but more broadly across the region.

So the concerns of the Saudis about the potential for escalation are very real, they've been worrying about the October 7th attacks, Israel's response to that escalating tensions, the northern border in Israel with Lebanon and Hezbollah.

All these Iranian-backed proxies trying to stoke tensions in the region and the Houthis are the one that seemed to have precipitated this particular escalation.

The Saudis, of course, are saying that the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea is of vital importance to the region. So that a lot -- while they are not part of that military coalition in the Red Sea, they are clearly giving it a green light to go ahead.

But this potential right now, depending on the Houthi response, this is a very, very volatile time right now.

Nic Robertson, CNN -- Tel Aviv, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: The U.S. says more than 50 countries have been affected by dozens of Houthi attacks in recent months. A number of companies, including the Danish shipping giant Maersk, have been diverting their vessels away from the Red Sea and all the way around the southern tip of Africa.

That adds thousands of nautical miles to the journey and causes weeks of delays in shipping times. All of that adding up to a major potential threat to the world economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAEL BRAINARD, U.S. NATIONAL ECONOMIC ADVISER: We are very focused on the economic side, on monitoring potential effects on the U.S. economy. Some shippers are taking alternate routes that is leading to longer shipping times. But so far that really hasn't had an effect on the U.S. economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: I spoke earlier with Jorgen Lian, the head of the Shipping Equity Research Department of DNB Markets and asked him what real- world impact comes from having ships have to reroute to avoid the region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JORGEN LIAN, DNB MARKETS: There're essentially two things that happen. So the first is time and the second is cost, and they're slightly connected.

So the former initially leads to short-term disruptions by adding 10 to 15 days to the time spent in transit and potentially an immediate shortage of goods until the trade routes are reestablished.

Then secondly, that ties up transport capacity and equipment for longer, which leads to tight supply and freight (INAUDIBLE) and that leads us on to a second point which means increased costs, which is also two-fold.

Firstly, there's longer sailing distances, that means more fuel costs to operate the ships. And then in addition, the tightening of the shipping market itself increases the freight rates when customers need to compete for the available slots.

Now that's where the costs really start to skyrocket and then the company is facing these types of markets (ph), especially as the supply and number of ships is very inelastic in the short-term.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Our thanks to Jorgen Lian there, shipping expert at DNB Markets.

There is more to come on our breaking news out of the Middle East. When we come back, we'll tell you about closing arguments in Donald Trump's New York civil fraud trial as well.

Stay with us. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

[01:39:35]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, President Joe Biden says the U.S. will not hesitate to take further action if Iran-backed Houthi rebels don't stop their attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea. The U.S. and U.K. launched a series of missile and airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen early on Friday. The Pentagon says they hit drone and missile sites, as well as radar and surveillance stations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. PAT RYDER, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We had multiple capabilities involved in this to include U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force aircraft, U.S. Navy ships and submarines, subsurface capabilities, all participating in these strikes.

And again, we'll have much more information to provide in the future on what those capabilities were but needless to say, this multinational effort sent a very loud and clear message to the Houthis tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: The U.S. says the Houthis have launched at least 27 missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping in recent months.

Turning to New York now where both sides wrapped up closing arguments in Donald Trump's $370 million civil fraud trial. The judge is expected to rule by the end of the month.

CNN's chief legal affairs correspondent, Paula Reid, wraps up the day's proceedings.

[01:44:48]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: While, former president Trump getting the last word in at closing arguments, usually closing arguments are an opportunity for lawyers to summarize their theory of the case.

And the day kicked off with Trump's lawyer, Chris Kise, laying out their theory of the case, arguing that this is a political persecution and that his client Trump had no intention of defrauding banks and that the banks were never harmed. But after Kise wrapped his remarks, he then asked if his client could have a few minutes to address the court.

And look, the judge granted it saying I'll give you five minutes and the judge had previously set a restriction on Trump saying, you can participate in closing arguments, but you can't a campaign speech. And that's exactly what Trump did -- attacking the judge, attacking the attorney general's office, and insisting that he is a quote, "innocent man".

Now, Trump addressed the public on his way into court, on his way out of court, those remarks in court and then had a press conference. So it appears he got a real return on investment here in terms of amplifying his argument that he is being targeted because of a desire by his political opponents to try to quote, interfere in this election.

But I want to note something that the attorney general's office said in their closing arguments. They noticed that even though Chris Kise talked for two hours, other attorneys got up and laid out their closing arguments, not one person address the false financial statements that Trump submitted, that misrepresented his assets by billions, and those are really the key to this case.

Paula Reid, CNN -- New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Candidates make their final arguments only days ahead of a critical election in Taiwan. Coming up after the break, find out how China and the U.S. factor into that race?

[01:46:38]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Let's bring you up-to-date on the developments in Yemen. We're being told of new explosions in the western part of the country.

A resident of a major port city provided this video to CNN showing smoke from the direction of a nearby airport. We've reached out to the Pentagon for confirmation if these are indeed new strikes.

It all comes hours after the U.S. and Britain hit at least 60 other targets belonging to Houthi rebels who are allied with Iran. Those targets included radar, drone, and missile sites.

The military response came after weeks of Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, one of the world's key commercial waterways.

President Biden released a statement saying in part, quote, these strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history.

These attacks he said have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized trade and threatened freedom of navigation.

Let's turn to Taiwan where voters will head to the polls on Saturday to elect a new leader amid growing tensions between the island and China. The Taiwanese have a critical choice to make that could have international repercussions.

CNN's Will Ripley with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Taiwan at a crossroads, the upcoming presidential election, some call a choice between peace and war.

Taiwanese voters face a monumental decision: continue prioritizing ties with Washington or recalibrate the U.S. relationship and mend fences with Beijing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the Democratic Progressive Party doesn't change their direction, I think that war can happen in our generation.

RIPLEY: In the campaign's final days and hours, three parties drawing battle lines. Watching closely, China's communist leaders and U.S. lawmakers.

Taiwan's ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP, the presidential front runner.

LAI CHING-TE, DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE PARTY CANDIDATE: We are determined to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. RIPLEY: Presidential candidate and current vice president Lai Ching-te running alongside Taiwan's former U.S. envoy, a ticket openly despised by Beijing.

Lai says deterrence is the only way to defend Taiwan from a Chinese takeover. A message that seems to resonate with many in this crowned.

And a message that infuriates China. Lai promises to continue the policies of Taiwan's two-term president Tsai Ing-wen. Beijing broke off talks with Taipei, when Tsai won in 2016. Her landslide reelection in 2020 fueled in part by fears of Taiwan becoming the next Hong Kong.

During Tsai's eight-year presidency, U.S.-Taiwan ties and arms sales hitting new highs, cross-strait ties tanking, tensions, boiling over. Taiwan's two main opposition parties call it a dangerous path, claiming it pulls Taiwan, China, and the U.S. closer and closer to a catastrophic cross-strait conflict.

Plans for a joint ticket collapsed on live TV, giving the ruling party a slight edge. Kuomintang or KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih seen as friendlier to China, calling for more cross-strait diplomacy and trade.

HOU YU-IH, KUOMINTANG CANDIDATE: Do not use hatred to create confrontation and division

RIPLEY: Taiwan People's Party or TPP candidate Ko Wen-je, promising a pragmatic and professional China policy.

CYNTHIA WU, TAIWAN PEOPLE'S PARTY: Our party would like to reach out to China and have them begin dialogue with us.

RIPLEY: Intelligence agencies in Taipei accused Beijing of election interference, slapping sanctions on Taiwanese exports, sending spy balloons, showing off a new aircraft carrier, and this week, launching a satellite over Taiwan triggering a rare emergency alert during this foreign ministry press conference.

[01:54:56]

RIPLEY: Taiwan later apologized for mistranslating the Chinese word for "satellite" to "missile".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're trying in to destroy Taiwan's democracy whenever possible.

RIPLEY: Disinformation, deep fake videos, doctored audio, all coming from China, Taiwan intelligence says. Beijing calls the ruling party candidate "dangerous" deepening divisions ahead of a crucial vote to define this democracy's future.

Given that Taiwan is the largest source of tension between China and the U.S., the island's main international backer and arms supplier, how China responds to the result of this election will be a big test. Can Beijing and Washington manage tensions or will they move towards more confrontation? Or even conflict? Will Ripley, CNN -- Taipei

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Thanks for spending part of your day with me watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Michael Holmes.

My friend and colleague, Kim Brunhuber, is standing by with the latest on our breaking news of the coalition strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. That's coming your way after the break.

I'll see you tomorrow.

[01:55:58]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)