MPs to debate UK military action against Houthis as Cameron heads to Middle East
The Prime Minister resisted calls to allow for a Commons vote but MPs will be able to debate the action on Wednesday.
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Your support makes all the difference.MPs will have the chance to debate the UK’s military action against Yemen-based Houthi rebels after Rishi Sunak warned of further airstrikes if attacks on shipping continue.
The Prime Minister resisted calls to allow for a Commons vote after Britain and the US targeted sites linked to the Iran-backed group for the second time.
But parliamentarians will on Wednesday be able to express their views on the action, which followed the first wave of joint strikes on January 11.
The Houthis have been targeting shipping they claim is linked to Israel in the context of the conflict with Hamas.
But the UK and allies have warned the attacks are indiscriminate and have included targeting Royal Navy and allied warships.
The Red Sea route leading to and from the Suez Canal is one of the world’s most important shipping routes and there are concerns that the cost of diverting vessels away from it, around southern Africa, will fuel inflation and damage the global economy.
The latest action also appears to have done little to deter Houthi action, with reports of a further incident in the region on Wednesday morning.
UK Maritime Trade Operations, which acts as a link between the Royal Navy and commercial shipping, said it had received a report of an attack around 50 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen.
It described reports of an explosion around 100 metres from a vessel, but said no injuries or damage have been reported.
Mr Sunak told MPs the military action against the Houthis was just one part of a strategy which includes disrupting supplies of arms, sanctions and talks with regional powers.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron will head to the region in the coming days in a diplomatic bid to ease heightened tensions.
New sanction measures will be announced soon and the Government will continue with humanitarian aid for Yemen and support a negotiated peace in the country’s civil war.
Downing Street highlighted a joint statement issued by some 24 countries – including the US and UK – condemning the Houthi attacks and backing the military response.
The governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland and the Republic of Korea were among those expressing support.
Mr Sunak spoke to US President Joe Biden on Monday night ahead of the military action and also convened a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee, including key ministers.
The wider Cabinet, Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle were informed at around 10pm, the time of the strikes, rather than ahead of the military action.
Sir Keir said Labour backed the “targeted action to reinforce maritime security in the Red Sea”.