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Many of Friday's papers report on the build-up to British and American strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen. The Guardian says the strikes come after a series of missiles and drones aimed at US and UK warships on Tuesday, though adds that Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has vowed to respond by renewing attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The i says that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held a meeting of his Cabinet to sign off on the action on Thursday and that the strikes are expected to target ports where boats used by the Houthis are based.
The operation comes after the Houthis ignored a final warning to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea, the Daily Mail reports. The paper says that the attacks pose a "major threat to the global economy" and that the Treasury has forecast inflation in the UK could rise by 0.5% if they continue.
The Times reports that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Commons leader Sir Lindsay Hoyle have both been briefed on the military action, though adds that Mr Sunak does not plan to recall parliament on Friday. The paper says the decision means MPs will not get the chance to discuss or debate the issue until Monday, leading to concern among some MPs.
The strikes follow a total of 26 recent Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, according to the Daily Express. The paper says the force carrying out the strikes may involve planes from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, while destroyer HMS Diamond and frigate HMS Lancaster are also in the region.
The Daily Telegraph says the decision to strike followed a day of frenetic behind-the-scenes activity in Whitehall, including an emergency Cobra meeting of senior ministers and a gathering of the National Security Council. Its adds that Mr Sunak told Egyptian president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi in a phone call that the UK would "continue to take action to defend freedom of navigation and protect lives at sea".
The seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Oman by Iranian forces on Thursday leads the Financial Times. The paper says that, coming as British and American forces prepared to attack the Iran-backed Houthis, the seizure has "raised fears that Tehran could step up its own attacks". One analyst is quoted saying that "seizing tankers is a go-to Iranian move" and that the seizure shows that the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping are "part of a bigger regional threat that could escalate despite efforts to contain a crisis sparked by the Israel-Gaza war".
The Star leads with the news that former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed that he has terminal cancer. The paper quotes him saying he has a year to live at best.
The diagnosis came after Eriksson collapsed while on a run, the Metro reports. The paper quotes him saying: "When you get a message like that, I think you appreciate every day and you're happy when you wake up in the morning and you feel OK. So that's what I'm doing."
The Daily Mirror carries a picture of the Prince of Wales with rugby league stars Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield after presenting the pair with CBEs for their efforts raising money to combat Motor Neurone Disease, from which Burrow suffers. The prince is quoted telling the pair: "We are all so proud of you".
And the Sun reports that Annie Kilner, wife of Manchester City and England star Kyle Walker, left him after finding out he had fathered a second child with model Lauryn Goodman. Walker reportedly fathered a first child with Goodman during a period of separation from Kilner in 2020. The paper says Annie received a message telling her that Walker was the father of another child "out of the blue" on Boxing Day and that it "floored her".
Many of Friday's front pages report on the build-up to the British and American strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, while the reaction is covered on the papers' websites.
"West strikes back", declares the Sun Online, which also carries an unverified image showing an explosion and fireball in the Yemeni city of Hodeidah. There's a similar message on the MailOnline, whose headline reads: "It's payback time". The website says coalition forces "rained bombs" on the rebels using warships, fighter jets and submarines.
The decision to launch air strikes came after what the print edition of the Daily Telegraph calls "a day of frenetic behind-the-scenes activity in Whitehall", including an emergency Cobra meeting and a gathering of the National Security Council.
According to the Times, discussions have gone on for days as to which targets to hit to avoid the conflict escalating into a full blown war. One Whitehall source is quoted as saying the US-led response was likely to be "limited but significant".
"Nobody can say that the Houthi rebels were not warned", is the message from the editorial in the Daily Express. The paper describes the group as a "force of terror in the Red Sea". The i's leader warns that the military intervention is "fraught with risk" because the strikes could pull in hostile powers such as Iran. The Daily Mirror's editorial says there is a "sea of troubles" in the region. It appeals for a "robust defence" of international shipping accompanied by "equally robust diplomatic efforts to calm tensions".
Coverage of the Horizon IT scandal looks at the evidence given to the public inquiry on Thursday by a Post Office investigator, Stephen Bradshaw, whose work helped to convict nine sub-postmasters. The Daily Mail says Mr Bradshaw had to deny that he behaved like a Mafia gangster while carrying out his investigations. The Telegraph's Madeline Grant says he "mumbled and spluttered" through case study after case study of human misery.
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed that he has terminal cancer
The Guardian's John Crace says there's a sense of "poetic justice" that there's increased publicity of Stephen Bradshaw's evidence session, because he had "never lost a moment's sleep" over the effect of his flawed investigations.
The i reports that Royal Mail lost a record number of parcels and letters in the past year, with complaints by almost 900,000 customers. Figures show the amount paid out in compensation payments increased to £26.2m. One postal worker from County Durham says people are being sent out to do deliveries without training, but Royal Mail says the vast majority of parcels and letters were delivered successfully.
Pictures of the former England football manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, make the front page of the Times and the Daily Star after he revealed he has terminal cancer. His comment that he has "a year to live at best" forms the Star's headline.
The Sun reports that he hid the diagnosis from the world after learning about it last February. The Daily Express says he has been "overwhelmed" with messages of support, with former England striker Wayne Rooney describing him as a "brilliant coach and a special person".
