Sunak: Houthis must stop ‘illegal and unacceptable attacks’

Evening Standard

Rishi Sunak has said the UK would not hesitate to launch further air strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels if attacks on shipping continued.Royal Air Force jets took part in a second wave of joint US-UK action against the Yemen-based rebels on Monday night after attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden continued.The Prime Minister told MPs: “We are not seeking a confrontation. We urge the Houthis and those who enable them to stop these illegal and unacceptable attacks.“But, if necessary, the United Kingdom will not hesitate to respond again in self defence."

Transcript

00:00 At my order overnight, the RAF engaged in a second wave of strikes against Houthi military

00:07 targets in Yemen. We did so because we continue to see, including in intelligence, an ongoing

00:13 and imminent threat from the Houthis to UK commercial and military vessels and to those

00:18 of our partners in the Red Sea and wider region. I told the House last week that we would not

00:24 hesitate to respond if the acts continue in order to protect innocent lives and preserve

00:29 the freedom of navigation, and that is what we have done. We acted alongside the United

00:34 States with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. We acted on the

00:40 same basis as 11 January—fully in line with international law, in self-defence and in

00:46 response to a persistent threat. And, as with the first wave, the strikes were limited to

00:52 carefully selected targets with maximum care taken to protect civilian lives.

00:59 Our attempting to counter every Houthi attack after it has been launched is simply not sustainable.

01:05 We have already shot down dozens of missiles and drones targeted at civilian vessels and

01:10 at the Royal Navy, and the Houthis have conducted at least 12 further attacks on shipping since

01:16 11 January, including just last night, shortly before our strikes were conducted. So we acted

01:23 to further degrade their ability to mount such attacks. Last week I gave the House our

01:29 initial assessment of the first wave of strikes. Since then, we have seen further evidence

01:34 that they were successful in degrading the Houthis' military capability. Last night,

01:40 we hit two military sites just north of Sana'a, each containing multiple specific targets

01:46 which the Houthis used to support their attacks on shipping.

01:51 I want to be very clear that we are not seeking a confrontation. We urge the Houthis and those

01:58 who enable them to stop these illegal and unacceptable attacks. But, if necessary, the

02:05 United Kingdom will not hesitate to respond again in self-defence. We cannot stand by

02:11 and allow these attacks to go unchallenged. Inaction is also a choice.

02:18 With that in mind, and given the persistent nature of the threat, it was important to

02:22 update the House again today. I listened carefully to hon. and right hon. Members last week,

02:28 and so we will give the House a chance for a full debate on our broader approach in the

02:33 Red Sea tomorrow.

02:36 We took extensive steps to address this threat to international security before taking military

02:41 action. We launched Operation Prosperity Guardian in December with over 20 other countries.

02:48 The international community issued repeated statements on 1 December, 19 December, 3 January

02:55 and 12 January condemning the attacks and urging the Houthis to desist. On 10 January,

03:02 the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding that they stop the

03:07 attacks. It is important to note that the internationally recognised Government of

03:13 Yemen have also condemned the Houthis for their actions, accusing them of creating a

03:18 conflict for propaganda, serving only their own selfish ends.

03:25 As we saw in the House last week, Members are rightly keen to hear how this situation

03:29 could be brought to an end. The answer must include the vital right to self-defence when

03:35 attacked, but that is only one part of our wider response, which I want to say more about

03:40 today.

03:41 First, we are increasing our diplomatic engagement because we recognise the deep concerns about

03:47 and the complexities of the current situation. I spoke to President Biden about these issues

03:52 last night. The Foreign Secretary will be in the region in the coming days, and he met

03:58 his Iranian counterpart last week. He made clear that they must cease supplying the Houthis

04:03 with weapons and intelligence and use their influence to stop Houthi attacks.

04:08 Second, we must end the illegal flow of arms to the Houthi militia. We have intercepted

04:14 weapons shipments in the region before, including components of the very missiles used by the

04:19 Houthis today. This brings home the importance of maritime security in the region, and that

04:25 includes working closely with our allies and partners to disrupt and deter the supply of

04:31 weapons and components.

04:33 Third, we are going to use the most effective means at our disposal to cut off the Houthis'

04:39 financial resources where they are used to fund these attacks. We are working closely

04:44 with the United States on this and plan to announce new sanction measures in the coming

04:48 days.

04:49 Fourth, we need to keep helping the people of Yemen, who have suffered so terribly as

04:55 a result of the country's civil war. We will continue to deliver humanitarian aid and support

05:01 and negotiated peace in that conflict, not just because it is the right thing to do but

05:06 also because we need to show the people of Yemen that we have no quarrel with them, as

05:11 the Yemeni Government themselves understand. This is our strategy, and we will keep all

05:17 other tools under close review as well.

05:21 I repeat that there is no link between our actions of self-defence in the Red Sea and

05:27 the situation in Israel and Gaza. Those who make that link do the Houthis' work for

05:34 them, and I want to be clear that those here at home who glorify the Houthis' attacks

05:39 are glorifying terrorism plain and simple. They will be met with a zero-tolerance approach.

05:47 All of that said, I would like to address the situation in Israel and Gaza directly

05:52 because it remains at the forefront of Members' minds. President Biden and I again discussed

05:57 this yesterday, and he shares my deep concerns about the situation, about the terrible suffering

06:03 and loss of civilian lives. So together we are working to establish a new aid route through

06:08 the port of Ashdod. The UK wants to see an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible.

06:16 We are calling for an immediate humanitarian pause to get aid in and hostages out as a

06:20 vital step towards building a sustainable permanent ceasefire without a return to destruction,

06:27 fighting and loss of life. But to achieve that, Hamas must agree to the release of all

06:34 hostages. They can no longer be in charge of Gaza. The threat from Hamas terror and

06:40 rocket attacks must end, and an agreement must be in place for the Palestinian Authority

06:45 to return to Gaza to provide governance, services and security. That is the pathway to peace

06:52 that should unite the whole House. I believe we are also united in support of a two-state

06:58 solution.

07:01 Through all the complexity of the current situation, our principles hold firm, resolute

07:07 in the face of threats, compassionate in support of those in need and determined in maintaining

07:13 stability, security and the rule of law. That is what our allies and partners have come

07:18 to expect from the United Kingdom. That is what we stand for, and I commend this statement

07:24 to the House.

07:25 [Applause]

07:26 [End of Audio]

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