Rishi Sunak asserts that the recent strikes on Houthi rebel sites in Yemen by the UK and US are deemed necessary and proportionate for safeguarding global shipping in the Red Sea.

Sunak claims the action is in self-defense against the Iranian-backed group, which he accuses of posing a threat to UK ships. The strikes, the first against the Houthis since they targeted international shipping last year, have led to warnings from Houthi officials about a heavy price to be paid by the UK and US.

The US-led operation aimed to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping, with support from the Netherlands, Canada, and Bahrain. The UK Ministry of Defence reports that Royal Air Force typhoons conducted precision strikes on Houthi sites, including an airfield and a location used for launching attack drones. The results are still being assessed, but early indications suggest a blow to the Houthis' ability to threaten merchant shipping.

The UK government maintains that the strikes were limited, necessary, and exclusively an act of self-defense. The legality of the action is affirmed, and it has received support from Labour Party leader Keir Starmer. However, the Liberal Democrats and SNP call for parliamentary scrutiny and express concerns about potential escalation in the region.

Former UK national security adviser Lord Ricketts describes the strikes as inevitable due to Houthi provocations, while a Houthi leader warns of the consequences. Russia requests a UN Security Council emergency meeting, and Saudi Arabia expresses "great concern" over the airstrikes. The UN Security Council previously passed a resolution demanding an immediate end to Houthi attacks. The crisis has led to diversions in major shipping routes, potentially increasing costs for consumers and impacting efforts to curb inflation and reduce interest rates. Photo by Ibrahem Qasim, Wikimedia commons.