Middle East crisis: I wanted to send a ‘strong signal’ to Houthis, says Sunak – after five killed in strikes

Rishi Sunak has said he wanted to send a “strong signal” to the Houthis after British and US forces launched an attack on targets in Yemen.

It comes after the Iranian-backed group defied a warning to stop targeting ships in the Red Sea.

Yemeni press agency, SABA, reported attacks took place in the capital, Sana’a, and the governorates of Sa’dah, Hodeidah, Taiz, and Dhamar.

A Houthi official said the strikes killed at least five people and wounded six, adding they won’t go “unanswered”.

The prime minister said he wanted to send “a strong signal” to the Houthis “that this breach of international law is wrong”.

Speaking during a visit to Ukraine, the prime minister said: “I made the decision with allies to take what I believe to be necessary, proportionate and targeted action against military targets to degrade and disrupt Houthi capability.

“We won’t hesitate to protect lives and ensure the safety of commercial shipping.”

Follow live: Houthi general claims ‘major battle has erupted’

He added: “It’s clear that this type of behaviour can’t be met without a response. We need to send a strong signal that this breach of international law is wrong. People can’t act like this with impunity. And that’s why, together with allies, we’ve decided to take this action.”

US officials said the strikes had been carried out by warship-launched Tomahawk missiles, as well as fighter jets and a submarine.

In a statement issued shortly after the attacks, US President Joe Biden said: “These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes.”

Mr Biden said the military action was also supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands.

Nasr Aldeen Amer, vice president of the Houthi media authority in Sana’a, hit out at what he called “a brutal aggression against our country” by America.

“They will pay absolutely and without hesitation, and we will not back down from our position in supporting the Palestinian people, whatever the cost,” he said.

Houthi official Abdulsalam Jahaf also wrote on social media that “America, Britain and Israel are launching raids”.

“We will discipline them God willing,” he added.

More on Yemen strikes:
Analysis: A busy shipping lane can’t become Wild West
Analysis: Strikes on Yemen could trigger regional war
Who are the Houthis?

Strikes draw Britain and America closer to confrontation with Iran

Dominic Waghorn

International affairs editor

@DominicWaghorn

The airstrikes in Yemen expand the war in the Middle East, draw Britain and America in deeper and risk an even wider conflagration.

Both countries have chosen a risky option that may not work and could make matters worse.

And in the minds of millions across the region, the UK and US will be seen to have taken an active military role now in support of Israel.

The UK and US will argue they had no choice and the Houthis had been warned. They had to act, we will be told, to protect global shipping, not least for economic reasons. The Houthis’ disruption of shipping lanes has wrought chaos in international commerce.

But there are several good reasons why the escalation may be counterproductive and dangerous.

Read analysis in full here

A joint statement by 10 governments issued through the White House said they would “not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways”.

Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and South Korea added their names to the six nations that took part in the joint strikes.

The statement said: “The Houthis’ more than two dozen attacks on commercial vessels since mid-November constitute an international challenge.

“Today’s action demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.”

The strikes came after Grant Shapps, the UK defence secretary, accused Iran of meddling and declared “enough is enough” in an escalating crisis that could ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East.

Overnight on Tuesday, a Royal Navy warship shot down seven drones in an operation with US naval vessels and jets to repel the largest Houthi drone and missile attack to date.

The UK, US and other countries issued a warning to the group a week ago to end the targeting of commercial shipping or “bear the responsibility of the consequences”.

Speaking to Sky News on Friday morning, James Heappey, the armed forces minister, described the action as an act of “self defence”.

“I can confirm that four Royal Air Force typhoon jets departed Royal Air Force Akrotiri at around 7.30pm UK time yesterday,” he said, and that they were joined by two refuelling tankers.

“All of these jets then took part in a set of co-ordinated strikes alongside the United States,” he added.

Mr Heappey said the jets “prosecuted two targets, both of which have been used as launch sites for missiles and drones against shipping in the Red Sea”.

“Our understanding is that all 14 targets that the US and UK prosecuted last night were successfully hit.”

Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey confirmed his party supported the government’s action in Yemen but that he now expected Mr Sunak to come to the Commons “at the earliest opportunity” to give more information to MPs.

Sky’s security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes, said the US and UK had to act or their warnings would have sounded empty.

“This is a hugely significant moment. It was inevitable that military action by the British and the Americans would be taking place after Houthis on Tuesday night defied a warning to stop attacking shipping in the Red Sea by launching a major attack with drones and missiles, that was thwarted by British and American warships and American war planes. Then, the British defence secretary said ‘watch this space’.

“And now we are watching that space and seeing what’s happening,”