Rishi Sunak does not rule out more strikes on Yemen after Houthi rebels vow retaliation

Sign up for the View from Westminster electronic mail for professional evaluation straight to your inbox

Get our free View from Westminster electronic mail

Rishi Sunak has not dominated out additional navy motion in Yemen after Houthi rebels warned of reprisals for in a single day airstrikes and the chief of Tukey accused the UK and the US of attempting to create a “sea of blood”.

As worldwide tensions escalated because of the bombing, the prime minister stated Britain had despatched a “strong signal” that the militants’ assaults within the Red Sea can’t be carried out with “impunity”.

Downing Street rejected the thought the UK was at conflict with the Iran-backed group and stated the UK’s actions had been proportionate and carried out in self-defence.

But pressed on what occurs if the air strikes fail to discourage assaults, Mr Sunak stated ministers would monitor the state of affairs, including: “But 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.”

President Biden has also said he will not hesitate to take further action if necessary.

Houthi rebels said the strikes killed at least five people and wounded six, and would “not go unanswered and unpunished”.

As issues over tensions within the Middle East grew, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the UK and the US are attempting to show the Red Sea right into a “sea of blood”.

Huge explosions were seen in Yemeni cities, including Sanaa and Hodeidah, in the early hours of Friday. The US military said 60 strikes were launched at 16 sites linked to the Houthis’ military operations.

The Ministry of Defence said four Royal Air Force jets struck two Houthi facilities involved in their targeting of HMS Diamond and US Navy vessels on Tuesday.

One was a site at Bani and the other the Abbs airfield, used to launch drones and cruise missiles.

The Houthis on Friday said the US-led operation resulted in at least five deaths and six injuries.

A military spokesperson for the group warned the strikes will not go unpunished and will not deter the militia from supporting Hamas by targeting ships associated with Israel.

Sophia Gaston, head of foreign policy at the think tank Policy Exchange, said. “We are shifting right into a a lot riskier terrain as a result of the United States and the United Kingdom definitely do not need to be in a state of affairs the place we’re required to interact past a restricted focused strike capability and positively not one that will invite the participation of different regional powers.”

She added that the existence of so many proxies for different states, such as the Houthis and Hezbollah for Iran, “essentially makes this a form of tinderbox”.

“And I feel there are numerous these gamers who consider that the stakes for the time being have gotten existential. So I feel that at all times is a recipe for a better threat of battle.”