Trump launches strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, killing 24: Live updates

Claiming the United States was being invaded by a Venezuelan gang, President Donald Trump on Saturday invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a sweeping war time authority that allows the president broader leeway on policy and executive action, to speed up mass deportations of people in the country illegally — potentially pushing his promised crackdown on immigration into higher gear.

Trump’s declaration targets Tren de Aragua, contending it is a hostile force acting at the behest of Venezuela’s government. The declaration comes the same day that a federal judge in Washington barred the administration from deporting five Venezuelans under the expected order, a hint at the legal battle brewing over Trump’s move.

Donald Trump stared down a reporter whose microphone hit him in the face as he spoke to journalists before departing for Mar-a-Lago on Friday, 14 March.

The president was speaking about Gaza to a group of press at Joint Base Andrews when a boom microphone made contact with his face.

Mr Trump looked towards the group of journalists before raising his eyebrows at the incident.

The Republican remarked, “She just became a big story tonight,” seemingly referring to the reporter.

Holly Patrick has more:

It was a satirical swipe at the multi-billionaire Tesla owner and world’s richest man. “We are holding Elon to account,” the group behind the poster said.

Read more from Alexander Butler:

President Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor.

“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump said in a social media post. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”

He also warned Iran to stop supporting the rebel group, promising to hold the country “fully accountable” for the actions of its proxy.

The Houthis reported a series of explosions in their territory Saturday evening. Images circulating online show plumes of black smoke over the area of the Sanaa airport complex, which includes a sprawling military facility. The extent of the damage was not yet clear.

The airstrikes come a few days after the Houthis said they would resume attacks on Israeli vessels sailing in waters off Yemen in response to Israel’s blockade on Gaza. There have been no Houthi attacks reported since then.

The United States, Israel and Britain have previously hit Houthi-held areas in Yemen. Israel’s military declined to comment.

“These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk,” Trump said.

“I have tried begging the public and my kids’ dad to keep them offline, and I’ve tried legal recourse,” she wrote in a post on X, adding that she feels it’s “insane to me that there’s no way to deal with this.”

Grimes was responding to a viral fake tweet on Musk’s social media platform, X, when she was asked by another user what she was doing to “protect her children” from misinformation.

Here’s Kevin E G Perry:

The United States has expelled South Africa’s ambassador, after accusing him of being a “race-baiting politician” who hates America and President Donald Trump.

“Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS. We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.”

Mr Rubio re-posted an article from the right-wing website Breitbart that quoted the envoy saying in a webinar that Trump was leading a white “supremacist” movement.

Bryony Gooch has the story:

Organisers are encouraging Tesla owners to sell their cars and for people to dump stock.

The electric car giant has already seen shares plunge since the start of the year as the firm comes under pressure from Chinese rivals amid calls for a boycott over Musk’s close ties with US President Donald Trump and far-right causes.

George Lithgow has the story:

Donald Trump’s Oval Office attack on Ukraine’s president last month appeared to mark a very public realignment of America’s sympathies – away from Europe and towards Russia in a manner that few could have imagined during the Cold War years.

The Republican Party, now dominated by Trump’s “America First” MAGA movement, once considered the former Soviet Union “the evil empire” under Ronald Reagan and relished its collapse.

Today, the GOP stands accused of parroting Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric and some even refuse to admit the plain fact that Moscow began the war by invading its neighbor.

Joe Sommerlad has more: