LONDON: PM Rishi Sunak told the UK parliament on Monday that UK strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, conducted alongside the US, were “limited, not escalatory” and came in response to a threat to British vessels. Sunak faced questions about why British lawmakers didn’t get a say on the military action. Four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets took part in last week’s US-led strikes on sites used by the Iran-backed rebels, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea.
Sunak told lawmakers that British jets targeted launch sites for drones and ballistic missiles, and that the UK’s initial assessment was that all 13 planned targets had been destroyed, without civilian casualties. He said the aim was to “degrade and disrupt” the Houthis’ ability to launch attacks. Sunak said UK participation “was intended as limited single action and we hope the Houthis will now step back.” But, he added, “we will not hesitate to protect our security, our people and our interests where required”.
Keir Starmer, leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, said he supported last week’s strikes, but expects more openness from the government in the future. “If the government is proposing further action, then it should say so and set out the case, and we’re going to have to consider that on a case-by-case basis on the merits,” he said. The smaller opposition Liberal Democrats accused the government of “riding roughshod over a democratic convention” that parliament should get a vote on military action.
Sunak said it had been “necessary to strike at speed … to protect the security of these operations”, so there was no chance to consult parliament.