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A British warship shot down seven drones launched by Iranian-backed Houthi fighters in the Red Sea in an operation with US forces to repel the largest drone and missile attack to date.

Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, said the drones had been heading towards HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer deployed by the UK to help protect shipping in the region, as well as commercial vessels on Tuesday night.

American warplanes, operating from a giant aircraft carrier, as well as other US warships, also took part in the mission.

Pic:MOD
Pic:MOD
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On board HMS Diamond during the latest engagement

A total of 18 one-way attack drones – designed to explode upon impact – were fired by Houthi militias in Yemen along with two anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile at about 9.15pm local time, according to a statement by the US military describing it as a “complex attack”.

The US said this was the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping since 19 November.

Mr Shapps, in a statement released on social media, detailed the UK involvement: “Overnight, HMS Diamond, along with US warships, successfully repelled the largest attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date.

“Deploying Sea Viper missiles and guns, Diamond destroyed multiple attack drones heading for her and commercial shipping in the area, with no injuries or damage sustained to Diamond or her crew.

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“The UK alongside allies have previously made clear that these illegal attacks are completely unacceptable and if continued the Houthis will bear the consequences.

“We will take the action needed to protect innocent lives and the global economy.”

Iran-backed Houthis say the attacks are aimed at ending the air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip following the 7 October attacks by Hamas.

A US-led coalition of nations has been patrolling the Red Sea to try and prevent the attacks.

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Why are the Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea?

HMS Diamond
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HMS Diamond

Ships saw approaching missiles and drones

The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping attacks in the region, said it was aware of an attack off the Yemeni port of Hodeida on Tuesday.

Private intelligence firm Ambrey said ships described over the radio seeing missiles and drones, with US-allied warships in the area urging “vessels to proceed at maximum speed”.

The attack took place ahead of a planned United Nations Security Council vote on Wednesday to potentially condemn and demand an immediate halt to the rebel attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.

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Trump ‘p***ed off’ with Putin after Zelenskyy comments – and ‘not joking’ about seeking third term

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Trump 'p***ed off' with Putin after Zelenskyy comments - and 'not joking' about seeking third term

Donald Trump has said he was “very angry” and “pissed off” after Vladimir Putin criticised the credibility of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a phone call with Sky News’ US partner network, NBC News.

Mr Trump said the Russian president’s recent comments, calling for a transitional government to be put in place in Ukraine in a move that could effectively push out Mr Zelenskyy, were “not going in the right direction”.

He told NBC’s Kirsten Welker: “If I feel we’re in the midst of a negotiation, you could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when Putin said yesterday that – you know, when Putin started getting into Zelenskyy’s credibility, because that’s not going in the right direction.”

It is a rare move by Mr Trump to criticise Mr Putin, whom he has generally spoken positively about during discussions to end the war in Ukraine.

Last month, he also released a barrage of critical comments about Mr Zelenskyy’s leadership, calling him a “dictator” and making unfounded claims that he had “poor approval” ratings in Ukraine.

The president added that if Russia is unable to make a deal on “stopping bloodshed in Ukraine” – and Mr Trump felt that Moscow was to blame – then he would put secondary tariffs on “all oil coming out of Russia”.

“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States. There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25 to 50-point tariff on all oil,” he said.

‘Industrial language’ shows Trump in two-way negotiation

Industrial language from the US president.

“Very angry” and “p***ed off” he said he was with Vladimir Putin.

What’s upsetting him is an intervention by the Russian leader at the end of last week.

Mr Putin questioned Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy – he said a peace agreement brokered by the Ukrainian president could be challenged by future governments.

Donald Trump didn’t like that and doesn’t see that as productive in terms of progress towards peace.

A rare rebuke from Mr Trump for Mr Putin on the face of it, the like of which we have not heard from the president for a while.

Remember that Mr Trump himself has undermined the credibility of Mr Zelenskyy in the past, so clearly Trump is in the middle of a two-way negotiation.

This has the sound, at least, of an even-handedness, that for most outside Moscow has been lacking on the part of the US president up until now.

Mr Trump said Mr Putin knows he is angry, but added that he has “a very good relationship with him” and “the anger dissipates quickly… if he does the right thing”.

He said he plans to speak with the Russian president again this week.

In the wide-ranging interview with NBC, Mr Trump also discussed:

• The possibility of seeking a third term in office;
• Imposing secondary tariffs on Iran;
• Not ruling out military rule to annex Greenland;
• Confirmed no one will be fired over Signal group chat blunder.

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‘Not joking’ about seeking a third term

When asked if he will seek to stay in the White House for a third term, which is prohibited by the Constitution under the 22nd Amendment, Mr Trump told NBC: “A lot of people want me to do it.”

He added: “I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration. I’m focused on the current.”

The president said he liked working, and would be interested in staying in the role for another four years after his second term comes to an end in 2028.

“I’m not joking,” he said, when asked to clarify. “But I’m not – it is far too early to think about it.”

Mr Trump said one method in which a third term could be possible is by Vice President JD Vance running for office and then handing the responsibility over to him. He refused to share details on other methods he claims exist.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he walks before departing for Florida from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
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Trump at the White House on Friday. Pic: Reuters

Threatening Iran with bombing and tariffs

Mr Trump said if Tehran did not make a deal with the US to ensure it did not develop a nuclear weapon, there could be bombing and secondary tariffs.

The tariffs would affect buyers of the country’s goods. It comes after he signed an executive order last week authorising such tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Iran had rejected direct negotiations with the US, but left open the possibility of indirect negotiations with Washington.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene lashing out at Sky’s Martha Kelner

No one will be fired over Signal group chat blunder

Addressing the national security blunder, which saw a journalist mistakenly added to a Signal chat group discussing planned strikes on Yemen, Mr Trump confirmed no one will be fired.

It was revealed this week that national security adviser Michael Waltz accidentally added The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a group chat with senior members of the Trump administration who were discussing plans to strike Houthi militants earlier this month.

Read more from Sky News:
Could the US really become a Commonwealth member?

JD Vance felt the cold in Greenland – and it wasn’t just the weather

The president said he doesn’t fire people “because of fake news and because of witch hunts”, adding that he still had confidence in Mr Waltz and defence secretary Pete Hegseth, who was also in the Signal chat.

Military option to annex Greenland not off the table

Mr Trump also discussed his commitment to annexing Greenland – a semi-autonomous territory which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark – and said that using military force was “not off the table”.

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Why does the US want Greenland?

“We’ll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%,” the president said. He added: “[There’s a] good possibility that we could do it without military force. [But] I don’t take anything off the table.”

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded to Mr Trump’s comments by reiterating that the US will not take control of the Arctic territory, and that it “controls its own future”.

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Myanmar earthquake: Military regime targeting ‘civilian areas’ with airstrikes in wake of disaster, armed group claims

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Myanmar earthquake: Military regime targeting 'civilian areas' with airstrikes in wake of disaster, armed group claims

An armed resistance group in Myanmar has accused the ruling military government of continuing to carry out airstrikes on “civilian areas” in the wake of the huge earthquake in the country.

The 7.7 magnitude quake struck near the city of Mandalay at around 12.50m local time (6.20am UK time) on Friday while Myanmar is in the grips of a bloody civil war.

The death toll from the quake stands at 1,700, with 3,400 others injured and 300 missing, according to pro-military government Telegram channels, citing the country’s rulers.

Chinese rescuers looks at a collapsed building before conducting a search and rescue operation in Mandalay. Pic: Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua via AP)
Image:
Chinese rescuers prepare to carry out a search and rescue operation in Mandalay. Pic: Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua via AP)

But the US Geological Survey’s (USGS) predictive modelling estimates that the number of dead will increase into the thousands, and could reach 10,000.

It comes as rescue and relief efforts in the country have been hampered by the ongoing civil war, which has raged since 2021.

Buddhist monks walk past a collapsed building in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Pic: AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo
Image:
Buddhist monks walk past a collapsed building in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Pic: AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo

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Monks film as building collapses

The Karen National Union (KNU), one of Myanmar’s oldest ethnic armies, has said in a statement that the military government, known as a junta, is continuing to “carry out airstrikes targeting civilian areas”.

It said the strikes come “even as the population suffers tremendously from the earthquake”.

The KNU said that under normal circumstances, the military would be prioritising relief efforts after an earthquake, but instead it is focused on “deploying forces to attack its people”.

The Free Burma Rangers, a relief organisation, said military jets launched airstrikes and drone attacks in Karen state, near the KNU headquarters, in the south of the country, shortly after the quake on Friday.

It came before there were reports of mortar and drone attacks on Saturday.

A Karen National Union soldier in 2024. Pic: Reuters
Image:
A Karen National Union soldier in 2024. Pic: Reuters

The junta has not confirmed whether or not it has been carrying out strikes since the disaster.

The epicentre of the quake was in an area held by junta forces, but the devastation is widespread and also affected some territory held by armed resistance movements.

On Sunday, the opposition National Unity Government, which includes remnants of the government ousted in a 2021 coup, said anti-junta militias under its command would pause all offensive military action for two weeks.

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Rescuers look for survivors of Myanmar earthquake

A Buddhist monk walks near Maharmyatmuni pagoda in Mandalay after the earthquake. Pic: AP
Image:
A Buddhist monk walks near a pagoda in Mandalay after the earthquake. Pic: AP

Richard Horsey, the senior Myanmar adviser at Crisis Group, which works to resolve armed conflicts, said some anti-junta forces have halted their offensives, but fighting continues elsewhere.

“The regime also continues to launch airstrikes, including in affected areas. That needs to stop,” he said.

He claimed that the junta was not providing much visible support in quake-hit areas.

“Local fire brigades, ambulance crews, and community organisations have mobilised, but the military – who would normally be mobilised to support in such a crisis – are nowhere to be seen,” Mr Horsey said.

The junta broke its self-imposed isolation to appeal for help from the outside world following the earthquake. However, the country’s inaccessibility will likely remain a huge obstacle to aid efforts.

Read more:
Families of those trapped in rubble face agonising wait
Why Friday’s earthquake was so destructive
Inside Myanmar – the hidden war
Quake is first major disaster to suffer the brunt of Trump cuts

Rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building in Mandalay, Myanmar. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building in Mandalay, Myanmar. Pic: Reuters

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Building in Thailand collapses after earthquake

The junta has said the earthquake is one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century – while the USGS suggests financial losses due to the disaster could exceed the country’s annual economic output.

While emergency rescue teams have started trickling into the area hardest hit by the quake, efforts have been hindered by damaged roads, downed bridges, poor communications and the challenges of operating in a country in the middle of a civil war.

Many areas still have not been reached.

Rescuers workers at the site of a collapsed building in Mandalay: Pic: Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua via AP
Image:
Rescuers workers at the site of a collapsed building in Mandalay: Pic: Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua via AP

A building tilts precariously in Mandalay, Myanmar. Pic: Reuters
Image:
A building tilts precariously in Mandalay, Myanmar. Pic: Reuters

Most rescues occur within the first 24 hours after a disaster, with the chances of survival diminishing as each day passes.

Neighbouring Thailand was also shaken, such as in the capital, Bangkok, where 18 people were killed, including 11 who died when an under-construction skyscraper collapsed. At least 76 people are missing and believed to be trapped under the debris.

Twelve Chinese nationals are among the injured, according to Chinese state media.

Map
Image:
The earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand, and tremors also affected Laos, Vietnam, and Bangladesh

Debris of damaged building near Maha Myat Muni Pagoda. Pic: AP
Image:
Debris of a damaged building in Mandalay. Pic: AP

An initial report on earthquake relief efforts issued on Saturday by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted the severe damage or destruction of many health facilities in Myanmar.

And it warned that a “severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines, and tents for health workers”.

India, China and Thailand are among the neighbours that have sent relief materials and teams, along with aid and personnel.

The UK government has announced a package of £10m to support the people of Myanmar in the aftermath of the quake.

Four years of civil war

Myanmar has been locked in a conflict involving multiple armed opposition groups since a 2021 coup, when the military seized power from the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Many places are now dangerous or impossible for aid groups to reach.

More than three million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.

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Trump ‘p***ed’ off’ and ‘very angry’ with Putin after Zelenskyy comments

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Trump 'p***ed off' with Putin after Zelenskyy comments - and 'not joking' about seeking third term

Donald Trump has said he was “very angry” and “pissed off” after Vladimir Putin criticised the credibility of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a phone call with Sky News’ US partner network, NBC News.

Mr Trump said the Russian president’s recent comments, calling for a transitional government to be put in place in Ukraine in a move that could effectively push out Mr Zelenskyy, were “not going in the right direction”.

He told NBC’s Kirsten Welker: “If I feel we’re in the midst of a negotiation, you could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when Putin said yesterday that – you know, when Putin started getting into Zelenskyy’s credibility, because that’s not going in the right direction.”

It is a rare move by Mr Trump to criticise Mr Putin, whom he has generally spoken positively about during discussions to end the war in Ukraine.

Last month, he also released a barrage of critical comments about Mr Zelenskyy’s leadership, calling him a “dictator” and making unfounded claims that he had “poor approval” ratings in Ukraine.

The president added that if Russia is unable to make a deal on “stopping bloodshed in Ukraine” – and Mr Trump felt that Moscow was to blame – then he would put secondary tariffs on “all oil coming out of Russia”.

“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States. There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25 to 50-point tariff on all oil,” he said.

Mr Trump said Mr Putin knows he is angry, but added that he has “a very good relationship with him” and “the anger dissipates quickly… if he does the right thing”.

He said he plans to speak with the Russian president again this week.

In the wide-ranging interview with NBC, Mr Trump also discussed:

• The possibility of seeking a third term in office;
• Imposing secondary tariffs on Iran;
• Not ruling out military rule to annex Greenland;
• Confirmed no one will be fired over Signal group chat blunder.

👉 Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app 👈

‘Not joking’ about seeking a third term

When asked if he will seek to stay in the White House for a third term, which is prohibited by the Constitution under the 22nd Amendment, Mr Trump told NBC: “A lot of people want me to do it.”

He added: “I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration. I’m focused on the current.”

The president said he liked working, and would be interested in staying in the role for another four years after his second term comes to an end in 2028.

“I’m not joking,” he said, when asked to clarify. “But I’m not – it is far too early to think about it.”

Mr Trump said one method in which a third term could be possible is by Vice President JD Vance running for office and then handing the responsibility over to him. He refused to share details on other methods he claims exist.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he walks before departing for Florida from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
Image:
Trump at the White House on Friday. Pic: Reuters

Threatening Iran with bombing and tariffs

Mr Trump said if Tehran did not make a deal with the US to ensure it did not develop a nuclear weapon, there could be bombing and secondary tariffs.

The tariffs would affect buyers of the country’s goods. It comes after he signed an executive order last week authorising such tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Iran had rejected direct negotiations with the US, but left open the possibility of indirect negotiations with Washington.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Marjorie Taylor Greene lashing out at Sky’s Martha Kelner

No one will be fired over Signal group chat blunder

Addressing the national security blunder, which saw a journalist mistakenly added to a Signal chat group discussing planned strikes on Yemen, Mr Trump confirmed no one will be fired.

It was revealed this week that national security adviser Michael Waltz accidentally added The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a group chat with senior members of the Trump administration who were discussing plans to strike Houthi militants earlier this month.

Read more from Sky News:
Could the US really become a Commonwealth member?

JD Vance felt the cold in Greenland – and it wasn’t just the weather

The president said he doesn’t fire people “because of fake news and because of witch hunts”, adding that he still had confidence in Mr Waltz and defence secretary Pete Hegseth, who was also in the Signal chat.

Military option to annex Greenland not off the table

Mr Trump also discussed his commitment to annexing Greenland – a semi-autonomous country which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark – and said that using military force was “not off the table”.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Why does the US want Greenland?

“We’ll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%,” the president said. He added: “[There’s a] good possibility that we could do it without military force. [But] I don’t take anything off the table.”

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded to Mr Trump’s comments by reiterating that the US will not take control of the Arctic country, and that it “controls its own future”.

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