New RAF blitz on Houthi rebels in ongoing Red Sea disaster | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Rishi Sunak has vowed to guard British pursuits overseas and at dwelling after the RAF carried out strikes in opposition to Houthi rebels.

British and US forces struck targets in Yemen within the fifth mixed operation since January.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed it had carried out strikes in opposition to the Iran-backed group on Thursday, as a response to assaults on worldwide delivery within the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The joint British-US airstrikes killed 16 and wounded 35 others, the rebels claimed.

The Prime Minister mentioned: “Last night the RAF successfully conducted a fifth set of strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen alongside the US.

“These strikes were conducted to further degrade the military capabilities of the Houthis and to prevent further attacks on international shipping.

“The strikes were taken in self-defence in the face of an ongoing threat that the Houthis pose.”

Asked whether or not this new spherical of strikes risked escalation with Iran, who again the Houthis, Mr Sunak mentioned: “We have always said that we will not hesitate to protect British interests abroad and at home.

“There is an ongoing threat that the Houthis pose, 197 attacks since November, all our intelligence indicates that previous sets of strikes have been successful in degrading military capabilities of the Houthis: targeting supply, command and control launch sites for missiles and there is also a risk in inaction that would damage the global economy and further risk our international security.”

The MoD mentioned intelligence had confirmed two areas close to Hudaydah, round 142 miles from the capital Sana’a, as being concerned with the assaults, with buildings thought to deal with drone floor management services and storage for very lengthy vary drones.

Surface-to-air weapons used to impede coalition operations to safeguard delivery within the area had been additionally believed to be on web site.

A set of Houthi services at Ghulayfiqah, additional south on the Yemeni coast, had been additionally recognized as being concerned within the command and management of the group’s anti-shipping marketing campaign.

RAF Typhoon FGR4s performed strikes on the goal buildings on the three areas, utilizing Paveway IV guided bombs.

The MoD mentioned the “utmost care” was taken in planning the strikes to “minimise any risk to civilians or non-military infrastructure”.

This is the fifth time the US and British militaries have performed a mixed operation in opposition to the Houthis since January 12.

The Houthis have stepped up assaults on delivery within the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in current months, demanding that Israel ends the conflict in Gaza, which has killed greater than 36,000 Palestinians.

The conflict started after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 individuals and taking 250 hostage.

Houthi rebels have launched greater than 50 assaults on delivery, seized one vessel and sunk one other since November, in accordance with the US Maritime Administration.

The assaults have disrupted delivery routes within the area.