Sunak has no choice but to strike the Houthis – but don’t expect it to make much difference

Downing Street and the White House cannot let attacks on the Red Sea shipping route continue, but they will be wary of such action spiralling, writes Chris Stevenson

A Royal Air Force Typhoon is prepared in Cyprus for airstrikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen (via Reuters)

Both Rishi Sunak and foreign secretary David Cameron tried to tread a careful line in response to the latest UK strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

Both made it clear that the UK would not hesitate to launch further airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, calling the second round of strikes (and at least the eighth by the US) an act of self defence responding to attacks on ships along a key global trade route in the Red Sea. Lord Cameron said that the strikes show Britain “backs our words and warnings with action”.

Since the middle of November, the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on a shipping route through which about 12 per cent of the world’s trade flows. Lord Cameron said that there had been at least 12 attacks since the first joint US-UK strikes on 11 January. Mr Sunak said that inaction was not an option, and that is true. While the creation last month of the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational force seeking to protect ships as they travel through the Red Sea, provided some cover, the number of Houthi attacks meant that further deterrence was required.