correspondentjonathan beale. just on that last point about the ships which have been targeted, the british government has been saying that one of their warships was targeted within the last 48 hours and they are talking about self defence being the justification for the attacks. defence being the 'ustification for the awash defence being the 'ustification for the attackeh the attacks. yes, and the two thints, the attacks. yes, and the two things, making _ the attacks. yes, and the two things, making sure - the attacks. yes, and the two things, making sure freedom | the attacks. yes, and the two l things, making sure freedom of navigation because a lot of trade goes through it, 12% of the world's trade goes through the red sea but also, because, they say, and i think grant shapps said, that being attacked, the biggest yet come and remember, the houthis have done 26 or 27 out of these kind of attacks using drones and missiles against shipping, the biggest was two days ago and grant shapps, the uk defence secretary, thinks a british warship was among the targets. the americans have also felt the same. so you know, when you hear americans saying
are supporting hamas, as israel continues its military action in gaza. i asked our defence correspondentjonathan beale to explain the reasons behind what has been happening. i mean, the two things. first of all, making sure freedom of navigation because a lot of trade goes through it, 12% of the world's trade goes through the red sea. but also because they say, and i think grant shapps said, that that big attack, the biggest yet, and remember the houthis have done 26 or 27 now of these kinds of attacks using drones, missiles against shipping, that was the biggest two days ago. grant shapps, the uk defence secretary, thinks that a british warship was among the targets there. the americans have also felt the same. when you hear americans saying this is about de—escalation, well, military action never results in de—escalation. i think at best this could be deterrence. the question is, will it be enough
i asked our defence correspondentjonathan beale to explain the reasons behind what has been happening. i mean, the two things. first of all, making sure freedom of navigation because a lot of trade goes through it, 12% of the world's trade goes through the red sea. but also because they say, and i think grant shapps said, that that big attack, the biggest yet, and remember the houthis have done 26 or 27 now of these kinds of attacks using drones, missiles against shipping, that was the biggest two days ago. grant shapps, the uk defence secretary, thinks that a british warship was among the targets there. the americans have also felt the same. when you hear americans saying this is about de—escalation, well, military action never results in de—escalation. i think at best this could be deterrence. the question is, will it be enough
four raf typhoon fighter jets took part in the raids, along with us navyjets — officials said they targeted 16 sites, including in the capital city sa na'a. rishi sunak called the strikes "necessary and proportionate" in order to protect global shipping. houthi leaders said five people were killed, and threatened to retaliate. we'll have more in a moment about the impact that the houthi attacks have been having on trade and consumer prices. but first, here's our defence correspondentjonathan beale with the story of what happened overnight. these strikes were led and coordinated by the us. last night dozens of jets coordinated by the us. last night dozens ofjets launched from an american carrier already in the red sea. the scene of recent tensions. their targets, sea. the scene of recent tensions. theirtargets, houthi sea. the scene of recent tensions. their targets, houthi rebels in yemen who had been launching their own attacks on merchant shipping. they had been warned to stop or face
battle—damage assessment, but that would indicate both of the targets that the uk prosecuted were successfully destroyed. the houthis — who control a large chunk of yemen — claim several civilians were also killed. they also say they won't back down. iran and russia, too, have condemned the us—led strikes. they may have destroyed some of the houthis' arsenal, but not their willingness to fight. hence president biden says he won't hesitate to do it again. jonathan beale, bbc news. with me is our defence correspondentjonathan beale. let's start by discussing in a bit more detail those targets that were actually hit overnight. yes.
are proving difficult to breach. ukrainian forces have taken ground, but the going is tough. from ukraine, our defence correspondentjonathan beale has the latest. hidden in a forest, evidence of ukraine's stuttering offensive in the south. a makeshift repair yard trying to salvage not old soviet equipment, but recently donated western armour. these us made bradleys may have saved lives, but they have also been damaged by what is slowing them down. russian minefields. sergei says some can't be repaired so they will scavenge the parts. this was the same brigade in the first days of the offensive, especially trained and equipped by the west to break through defences. instead they became an easy target and fodder for russian propaganda. it's ukraine's infantry who are having to make
cut across this concrete line into north korea. since the beginning of the pandemic, the north korean guards had not been standing along their part of the line, only the south korean guards have been manning their site, so the north koreans have been in the state building behind the line and we are hearing that perhaps this us national decided to try and get up to this north korean building on that site and that is when he was taken by the north koreans and taken into custody in this building. one of ukraine's most senior military commanders has admitted its offensive is not going as fast as he'd like. general 0leksandr syrskyi who's in charge of military operations in eastern ukraine, told the bbc that quick results were proving to be "practically impossible" because of well—prepared russian defences. but the general said he hopes ukraine will be able to recapture the city of bakhmut — which russian forces led by the wagner seized control of earlier this year. 0ur defence correspondentjonathan
you're live with bbc news. one of ukraine's most senior military commanders has admitted the counter offensive is not going as fast as he or the allies would like. general oleksandr syrskyi, who's in charge of military operations in eastern ukraine, told the bbc that quick results were "practically impossible" because of the well prepared russian defences. but the general said he hopes ukraine will be able to recapture, the city of bakhmut — which russian forces seized control of earlier this year. our defence correspondentjonathan beale reports from eastern ukraine. the bloody battle for bakhmut isn't over. the city is now held by the russians, but we travelled with ukrainian forces who are trying to take it back.
additional critical air defence missiles for ukraine. italy also announced its latest tranche of assistance, which includes highly critical capabilities that meet ukraine's most urgent needs to defend itself, and several allies are beginning to think about supporting ukraine for the long term. the bbc�*s defence correspondentjonathan beale sent this report from the summit. ukraine's defence minister 0leksii reznikov arrived at brussels for this meeting welcoming allies's commitment to train ukrainian pilots to fly modern westernjets, fly modern western jets, including the us fly modern westernjets, including the us made f—16. that programme, that plan is being led by both the netherlands and denmark, and it is being joined by other countries, and supported by the us. what's missing at the moment, of course, though, is a specific timeline, a pledge to supply the jets themselves, and that would have to be facilitated — in the case of f—16s, which are made in america —
sizeable air force. and if f—16s are supplied to ukraine, it is unlikely to suddenly change the course of the war. let's speak live now to our defence correspondentjonathan beale who's in brussels, where nato defence ministers are meeting today.briefed on offensive — clearly ukraine need all the support it can get — appetite for continuing that... is there any news? first of all, what is a _ is there any news? first of all, what is a donors _ is there any news? first of all, what is a donors conference i is there any news? first of all, | what is a donors conference for military support for ukraine led by the us as to what they are providing ukraine. we have had from the americans, their latest defence package. you get the focus on air defence system, notjets. we had from norway and denmark, they are giving rounds. the focus is on defence. their defence ministers here will be briefed by ukraine's defence minister on that defensive.