Sunak ‘will not hesitate’ to protect UK security after Red Sea strikes

It comes after Defence Secretary Grant Shapps refused to rule out further military action to repel Houthi assaults on cargo ships.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is due to address MPs about the UK-US Houthi air strikes (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)

The Prime Minister said he “will not hesitate” to protect British security after the Defence Secretary refused to rule out further action against the Houthis to safeguard the Red Sea.

Rishi Sunak, who will address MPs about the decision to take part in joint air strikes in Yemen with the US, said the military action was a “last resort” designed to “restore stability” in the region.

The RAF joined American allies in targeting Houthi locations last week as part of allied efforts to ensure international cargo vessels can freely navigate the vital shipping route.

The Houthis, Iran-backed militants who support Gaza ruler Hamas in the Palestinian group’s war against Israel, claims it has targeted ships with links to Tel Aviv.

I think it is incumbent on the Houthis to recognise the international condemnation for what they are doing and desist

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

Weeks of attacks by the rebels have posed a threat to the flow of global trade, disrupting merchant vessels passing through the sea to the Suez Canal, a route that serves 15% of world shipping.

Mr Sunak, asked during a visit to Essex if the UK-US response amounted to a ramping-up of the Middle East conflict, said the allies’ aim was to “de-escalate tensions in the region”.

“We faced an escalating series of attacks from the Houthis on commercial shipping, including an attack on a Royal Navy warship. That was unacceptable,” he told broadcasters.

“It is right that we took proportionate, targeted action against military targets to send a strong message that that behaviour is unacceptable.

“It was a last resort. It came after the end of exhaustive diplomatic activity including a UN Security Council.

“Now, I think it is incumbent on the Houthis to recognise the international condemnation for what they are doing and desist.

“But we, of course, will not hesitate to protect our security where required.”

Mr Sunak’s comments came after Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said Britain needs to “wait and see” before deciding whether to take part in further strikes on the Yemeni rebels.

Western military activity continued over the weekend, with Washington on Saturday launching a new strike against a Houthi location in Yemen that was determined a threat, according to US officials.

The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations said a missile struck a ship just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. It came after the US military confirmed on Sunday that one of its fighter jets shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired at an American destroyer in the Red Sea.

Asked on Sky News if the UK could take part in more air strikes, Mr Shapps said: “We will now watch and monitor the situation very carefully.

“As we’ve said – not just to the Houthis but to their Iranian masters, in a sense, because they are really proxies for Tehran – this cannot go on.

“Freedom of navigation is just a given and always has been for many years.

“We cannot have that situation where they are trying to harass it, and we will keep a very close eye.

“If we have to take further action, that is something that we will consider.”

Pressed on what will happen if the Houthi attacks continue, the senior Conservative said the UK will “keep it under review”.

He added: “They should be aware that if it doesn’t stop then of course we will then have to take the decisions that need to be taken.”

Later, Mr Shapps, during a speech at Lancaster House in central London on Monday, said the strike against the Houthis was intended as a “single action” rather than a campaign of military attacks.

He said: “We will now monitor very carefully to see what they do next, how they respond and we will see from there.”

Mr Sunak will make a statement in the House of Commons on Monday about the strikes, Downing Street has confirmed.

In a move criticised by opposition MPs, the PM announced the military action last week when Parliament was not sitting.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged the Government to say if it is proposing further action against the Houthis and “set out the case” for doing so.

His party supports the Government’s action in the Red Sea and defended the move not being given the green light by MPs, with Sir Keir saying that when “urgent operational issues” arise it is “not possible” to have a vote in Parliament.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Barnet, north London, the Opposition leader said: “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.”

Meanwhile, Mr Shapps defended issuing a warning to the Houthis hours before the joint strikes with the US, having told them to “watch this space” on Thursday.

The Sunday Times quoted a senior diplomat as saying there was “some real annoyance” in Washington after the remark was made.

The Cabinet minister said his comment was part of an “agreed approach” with American allies.

Asked about the report, he told Sky News: “That is not true.

“I speak to my American friends all the time and they – and we – were very clear that we would be signalling the fact that if they didn’t stop, then there would be action.

“And so I used that phrase very deliberately in order to say, ‘If this carries on, then we will have to step in’.

“They carried on and I’m afraid we did have to step in – but that was part of an agreed approach to this.”