Daily Briefing: A major escalation in the Middle East conflict

President Joe Biden said U.S. military strikes in Yemen were in response to "to unprecedented" attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. Also in the news: Former President Donald Trump railed against a judge and government lawyers in closing arguments at his New York real estate fraud trial. Cold temperatures are coming for just about everyone.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. I am with Rob Lowe on getting an "embarrassing amount" of sleep.

Now here is the news to know Friday.

US, British militaries launch retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen

U.S. warplanes, ships and submarines, along with United Kingdom Royal Air Force jets, attacked sites in Yemen Thursday associated with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who have been firing dozens of drones and missiles into Red Sea shipping lanes.

The Biden administration has sought to contain fighting in the Middle East to Gaza, but Iranian-backed groups throughout the region have increased their attacks.

• The rebels say the strikes killed five people and wounded six others. In recent weeks, the Pentagon has also attacked Iranian-backed militants in Iraq and Syria who have targeted U.S. troops there with rocket attacks.
• Biden made the decision to take military action following a major Houthi attack in the Red Sea on Tuesday involving 20 drones and multiple missiles against U.S. Navy ships.
• The U.S. has not seen a response from the Houthis since the attacks were carried out, officials said. Biden said the response of the international community to the Houthi attacks has been "united and resolute."

Takeaways from closing arguments in Trump's real estate fraud trial

The day began with a bomb scare, peaked with a Donald Trump rant, and included a scolding from the judge. The former president insisted Thursday in the final hours of his New York fraud trial that the case was politically motivated and brought for publicity, drawing the curtain on proceedings that could bar him from running a business in the state and cost him hundreds of millions of dollars. The stakes are high for Trump: New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $370 million and the end of Trump doing business in the state. Here's our recap of closing arguments in the case.

• Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges after his initial plea deal fell apart.

More news to know now

• Israel will defend itself following accusations of genocide at the U.N.'s top court on Friday.
• The FAA will investigate Boeing's production process.
• A secret tunnel found in a NYC synagogue led to nine arrests.
• An Ohio woman who suffered a miscarriage at home won't face criminal charges.
• For subscribers: Here's why more women are joining a lawsuit challenging Tennessee's abortion ban.
• On today's The Excerpt podcast, why inflation picked up again last month. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Congress races to dodge shutdown

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is facing intense pressure from the House's most conservative lawmakers to back out of the spending agreement he struck with Democrats to avert a government shutdown, a path that could derail Congress' chances of keeping the government's doors open. On Thursday, the group of ultraconservative GOP members told reporters Johnson is considering a new path that differs from the spending deal announced just days ago. But Democrats control the Senate and the White House, so it's not clear what Republicans could leverage to win the policy priorities and spending cuts they hope to deliver. Read more

• When Congress flirts with a government shutdown, student loan borrowers are left in the lurch.
• Can the U.S. handle more immigration? Here's why the answer is yes.

It's about to get really, really cold out there

Much of the country should brace for bitter cold Friday and into next week, forecasters say. Afternoon highs won't reach above zero degrees across much of Montana and into North Dakota on Friday, and Central Plains states into Iowa and Minnesota will see highs only up to the 10s. Arctic air will bring subfreezing temperatures as far south as southern Texas and the Florida Panhandle by early next week. The polar plunge could threaten century-old record low temperatures, cause hypothermia and frostbite as well as damage infrastructure. Read more

Keep scrolling

• Crypto has a Nazi problem: Here's how white supremacists fundraise for hate.
• Jelly Roll, former drug dealer and current Grammy nominee, spoke against fentanyl to the Senate.
• Jeffrey Epstein was a convicted sex offender by 2008. Why did the powerful stick with him?
• The Emmy Awards were postponed amid the dual writers and actors strikes. Now they'll be held Sunday.
• Kevin Hart told Paste BN what he'd like to change about comedy in 2024.
• Is eye color surgery the new fad?

Mel Tucker appeal of sexual harassment case denied

University leaders will now determine any sanctions to issue former Michigan State University head football coach Mel Tucker. The long-running campus sexual harassment investigation involving Tucker concluded after an outside attorney hired by the school to review Tucker’s challenge to findings of fault against him denied his appeal. Although he is no longer an employee, they can still ban him from campus, future employment at MSU or participation in school activities, such as attending football games. Read more

• Alabama football fans are struggling with Saban's retirement as tributes grow.
• Here are all of the best moments from Bill Belichick's 24 years with the Patriots.

Photo of the day: All-female St. Paul city council makes history

The city council in St. Paul, Minnesota is now made up entirely of women, a first not only in the city's history but also likely among major cities in the U.S.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to Paste BN here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.