Britain Will Strike Houthis Again If Necessary, Says PM, As Red Sea Shipping Crisis Continues

Rishi Sunak has said the UK is willing to take military action against Houthi rebels again, hours after the Yemen based group fired another missile at a US-owned cargo ship in the Red Sea.

- Kiran Stacey

The prime minister addressed MPS yesterday for the first time since the UK took part in airstrikes on the Houthis on Thursday night, which he said destroyed 13 targets at two sites, including drones, an airfield and a cruise missile launcher.

He defended the decision to launch the strikes without parliament's approval, and warned the UK could launch more if the rebels continued to hold hostages and posed a threat to international shipping in the region.

Sunak told the Commons: "This action was taken in self-defence.

It was limited, not escalatory. It was a necessary and proportionate response to a direct threat to UK vessels and therefore to the UK itself."