Yemen strikes – live: Houthis harming UK shopping, says Sunak in defence of bombing

Labour is “fully supportive” of the action needed to stop Houthi attacks, Sir Keir Starmer said.

Asked how concerned he was that MPs would currently not have the opportunity to debate the strikes until Monday, the Labour leader told broadcasters: “I want the Prime Minister to make a statement as soon as possible, but the principle of taking action against the Houthi rebels is really important.”

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy was in Beirut calling for the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and the prevention of the conflict extending further into Lebanon.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said his party was “minded” to support the Government’s military action, but believed in the “principle” of parliamentary consultation before such intervention is taken.

The Government has published a summary of its legal position following the strikes, saying military intervention “was lawfully taken” and “this was the only feasible means available to deal with such attacks”.

British-US strikes on Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen had “good effects”, according to the Pentagon.

Spokesman Patrick Ryder said and their militaries would continue to monitor the situation for any retaliatory strikes.

There are currently no plans to send extra US troops to the region, Mr Ryder told CNN. “Our initial assessment is that we had good effects,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor and as the president and (Defence) Secretary Austin have said, we will continue to take necessary action.”

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin had spoken twice to President Joe Biden in the past two days and had been “actively engaged in overseeing and directing these strikes”.

Asked about worries that the conflict might escalate, Mr Ryder said the US continued to work to contain the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The Houthi militants’ attacks on commercial shipping in the vital Red Sea waterway has affected more than 50 countries, Ryder noted, and the United States and its allies see the actions as distinct from what is happening in Gaza.

“No one wants to see a wider regional conflict. But again, we also cannot allow for this kind of dangerous, reckless behaviour,” he said.

Downing Street has denied claims by Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the UK and the US are trying to turn the Red Sea into a “sea of blood”.

A spokeswoman for the prime minister said: “We wouldn’t agree with that. This was limited and targeted strikes in response to aggression.

“We acted in self defence in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.”

Scotland’s first minister has challenged the UK government to produce legal evidence in support of its military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Humza Yousaf also made clear the House of Commons should have been recalled ahead of action being taken to “allow for MPs to debate and scrutinise the UK Government’s plans”.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Yousaf insisted that “Houthi attacks in the Red Sea must stop” as he declared a UN Security Council resolution on this should be adhered to.

But the Scottish First Minister said: “Before action as serious as military intervention took place MPs, who have been elected of course to represent the people, should have had their say.”

The SNP leader continued: “The UK, let’s be honest about this, does not have a good track record when it comes to military intervention, particularly in the Middle East. That is why the House of Commons should have been recalled today, ahead of military action that was taken in order to allow for MPs to debate and scrutinise the UK Government’s plans for military action.”

He also challenged the UK Government to produce evidence to support its action, with Mr Yousaf saying: “If we have learnt anything from the past, the very recent past, it is that any decision to instigate military action should be evidence based, and we should be transparent with the people of Scotland and indeed the UK about the reasons for military intervention.”

The SNP leader added: “The UK Government needs to produce evidence of the legal basis, not just a summary, the evidence of the legal basis. They need to articulate what is their objective, what is their end goal is, and they need to give detail about the security implications of their action both in the region and here at home.”

The United States has no plans to add additional forces to the region after the US and British militaries conducted strikes on Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder has said.

Mr Ryder said defence secretary Lloyd Austin, who was hospitalised on 1 January to treat an infection, was in good condition, had spoken twice to president Joe Biden in the last two days and had been “actively engaged in overseeing and directing these strikes”.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Rishi Sunak has said the UK needs to send a “strong signal” that Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea are wrong and cannot be carried out with “impunity’”.

Speaking in Ukraine, the PM said he had backed “necessary, proportionate and targeted action”. The PM also said the Houthi rebel attacks on shipping was having a “damaging impact on people’s shopping” in the UK.

The Tory leader told broadcasters he would make a statement in parliament on Monday.

Mr Sunak said the Houthis attacks on ships in the Red Sea “were putting innocent lives at risk, it’s disrupting the global economy and it’s also destabilising the region … Now it’s clear that that type of behaviour can’t carry on.”

Sunak was pressed on what happens in the strikes on the Houthis do not succeed in deterring the attacks.

The Tory leader said: “We need to send a strong signal that this breach of international law is wrong. People can’t act like this with impunity and that’s why together with allies we’ve decided to take this action.”

Mr Sunak said Britain’s aim was to “de-escalate tensions and restore stability” to the region when asked about concerns over the possibility of wider escalation.

He added: “We have acted in self-defence. It’s incumbent now on the Houthis to stop carrying out these attacks, disrupting the global economy which has also had a damaging impact on people’s shopping … That’s not right.”