UK prepared to back words with actions against Houthis in Yemen, says Sunak
The Government is "prepared to back our words with actions", the Prime Minister has warned, as missile attacks continued in the Red Sea despite last week's air strikes against Houthi rebels.
Rishi Sunak's statement in the Commons came shortly after a missile struck a US-owned ship off the coast of Yemen.
The Prime Minister began his address to MPs by giving an update on the action the UK took on Thursday night to target Houthi militant targets in Yemen.
Mr Sunak reiterated that the strikes on Houthi-linked sites in Yemen came as a response to the Iranian-backed group launching almost 30 "unacceptable" attacks on shipping in what the Prime Minister called the biggest attack on the Royal Navy "in decades".
"So we acted. We did so in self-defence consistent with the UN charter and to uphold freedom of navigation as Britain has always done," Mr Sunak told the Commons.
'Limited, not escalatory'
"I do not take decisions on the use of force lightly. That is why I stress that this action was taken in self-defence. It was limited, not escalatory," he said.
"It was a necessary and proportionate response to a direct threat to UK vessels and therefore to the UK itself.
"The threats to shipping must cease. Illegally detained vessels and crews must be released. And we remain prepared to back our words with actions."
The Prime Minister told MPs all planned targets had been destroyed in the strikes, with no reports of civilian casualties. He also explained why he had not informed Parliament before the military action took place.
"I can tell the House today that our initial assessment is that all 13 planned targets were destroyed," he said.
"We have seen no evidence thus far of civilian causalities, which we took great care to avoid.
"The need to maximise the security and effectiveness of the operation meant that it was not possible to bring this matter to the House in advance.
"But we took care to brief members before the strikes took place, including you of course Mr Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition, and I have come to the House at the earliest possible opportunity."
Israel-Gaza
Mr Sunak said the UK's participation in air strikes against Houthi rebels was "completely unrelated" to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza or Yemen's civil war.
The Prime Minister said: "We shouldn't fall for their [the Houthis'] malign narrative that this is about Israel and Gaza. They target ships from around the world.
"And we continue to work towards a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and to get more aid to civilians. We also continue to support a negotiated settlement in Yemen's civil war.
"But I want to be very clear that this action is completely unrelated to those issues.
"It is a direct response to the Houthis' attacks on international shipping."
Mr Sunak continued: "We have attempted to resolve this through diplomacy. After numerous international calls for the attacks to stop, a coalition of countries gave the Houthis a clear and unambiguous warning two weeks ago."
He cited a resolution of the UN Security Council "condemning the attacks and highlighting the right of nations to defend their vessels and preserve freedom of navigation".
"Yet the Houthis continued on their reckless path," he said.
Downing Street said it was too early to determine the full impact of the military strikes against the Houthis.
The Iranian-backed group has continued to target international shipping despite the US and UK air strikes against their positions in Yemen.
"Never have we claimed that a single action would put an immediate stop to this," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.
"I think this is both degrading capability and providing deterrence.
"It is too early to determine the longer-term impact of the military action taken by the UK and the US at this point."
More strikes?
The UK's part in the air strikes in Yemen was intended as limited single action, the Prime Minister said.
Mr Sunak was responding to a question from Conservative MP Sir Michael Ellis, who said: "There are reports however this afternoon that more Houthi attacks are taking place, will he take more military action if necessary?"
"I won't speculate on future action, this was intended as limited single action, and we hope the Houthis will now step back and end their destabilising attacks, Mr Sunak replied.
"But of course, as I said earlier, we will not hesitate to protect our security, our people and our interest where required and if we do so we will of course follow the correct procedures and precedent as we did in this case."
Later in the debate, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for a comprehensive plan, adding: "Rather than pumping more and more weapons and money into more and more conflicts, which will get worse, does he have any hope for the future that there will be a lessening of conflict rather than the present, very rapid, increase in it?"
In response, Mr Sunak said: "I do have hope, and that's because as we and others take action to degrade and disrupt the capability of those who are malign actors in the region, that will actually give the space for positive voices to build the peace that all of us want to see and to allow everyone to live side by side with dignity and security and opportunity."
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