In a joint operation, UK and US military forces conducted airstrikes on Houthi rebel military facilities in Yemen, sparking calls for increased parliamentary consultation on military actions. Concerns about the potential escalation in the Middle East have been raised in the wake of these strikes.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the action, stating that it was a “limited, necessary, and proportionate action in self-defense” following an attack by the Iranian-backed Houthi group on ships in the Red Sea.
The strikes, which occurred on Thursday night, mark the first offensive against Houthi militants since they began targeting international shipping in this vital global trade route.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence reported that four Royal Air Force jets targeted two Houthi facilities connected to their attack on the HMS Diamond and US Navy vessels on Tuesday. These facilities included a site at Bani and the Abbs airfield, used for launching drones and cruise missiles.
Additionally, the US Air Force carried out strikes on over 60 targets across 16 sites in Yemen. The operation received non-operational support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands.
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey sought to downplay concerns of escalating tensions, especially after Russia requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in response to the strikes.
There are growing fears of regional escalation, including the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and heightened tensions with Iran, a backer of the Houthi rebels, which has condemned the airstrikes.
Saudi Arabia expressed “great concern” over the situation and called for restraint and de-escalation.
Minister Heappey assured that the strikes were necessary to disrupt the Houthi’s ability to target warships protecting shipping in the southern Red Sea. He emphasized, “nobody should see this as part of anything bigger.”
He also noted that the government’s “legal position is sound,” and there are no immediate plans for further UK strikes.
Prime Minister Sunak, in a statement early on Friday, condemned the Houthi’s continued “dangerous” attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, despite international warnings. He reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to the freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade.
Sunak, who is currently on a surprise visit to Ukraine, convened a full Cabinet call to discuss the response to disruptions on this critical global shipping route. In an unusual move, the government briefed opposition leaders Sir Keir Starmer and shadow defense secretary John Healey after the call.
Sir Keir expressed support for the military action but called for Sunak to address Parliament “at the first opportunity.” With Parliament adjourned for the week and no immediate plans for its recall, it is unlikely that Sunak’s statement to MPs will occur before Monday.
The Liberal Democrats demanded a parliamentary vote on the matter, and the SNP stressed the importance of scrutinizing any military action in the Commons. Layla Moran, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson, emphasized that MPs should not be “silenced” on this issue and called for a retrospective vote in the House of Commons.
Recalling Parliament requires a request from the government to the Commons Speaker, a rare occurrence.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized the strikes as a “reckless act of escalation” and expressed dismay that Parliament had not been consulted.
The Houthi rebels claimed that their attacks targeted Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence suggests that the strikes have dealt a significant blow to the Houthi’s ability to threaten merchant shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial trade route through which approximately 15% of the world’s shipping passes. However, the militants have vowed to continue their attacks, with a high-ranking Houthi official, Ali al-Qahoum, warning that “the battle will be bigger… and beyond the imagination and expectation of the Americans and the British.”
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