Sunak blasted over Yemen air strikes - what the key people said

What's happening?

The UK and US have launched a number of airstrikes on sites in Yemen believed to be used by Iranian-backed Houthi rebel fighters.

These strikes - carried out using planes, submarines, and warships - are being staged in response to months of attacks by Houthi forces against cargo ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel's war in Gaza. Militants have claimed the ships they are targeting are linked to Tel-Aviv, or are bound for Israeli ports. However, the US military has said some vessels have had no connection to Israel.

Rishi Sunak told MPs on Thursday - the first time he had spoken with MPs since launching the strikes - that the military action was a “last resort” designed to “restore stability” in the region. The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations said on Monday that a missile struck a Marshall Islands-flagged 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.

Key people

Rishi Sunak: The prime minister appeared in front of MPs on Monday having been criticised in some quarters for not bringing plans to strike Houthi targets to Parliament beforehand. He told MPs on Monday his decision was constitutional and that it was "necessary to strike at speed".

Grant Shapps: The defence secretary has said the UK will now monitor the situation closely to see the reaction of not only the Houthis, but also their "Iranian masters", claiming the rebel groups are "proxies for Iran".

Stephen Flynn: The Scottish National Party (SNP) leader in Westminster has asked what the government's plan is if attacks on Red Sea ships persist and has warned of the dangers of strikes feeding into a wider regional crisis.

Why it matters

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.

BP paused shipments through the Red Sea in December due to the “deteriorating security situation” in the waters, with a number of shipping firms including Danish firm Maersk also making similar decisions. Shipping issues were attributed to a rise in oil and gas prices.

There are fears all of this could make food, medicine and other essentials more expensive for people worldwide, including in the UK. That's because containers and tanker are having to take a 5,000 mile detour around the cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of South Africa. That pushes up costs - Tesco, for example, warned last week the delays could mean prices at shops going up.

All this is also taking place against a backdrop of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Iran champions the Houthis as part of its regional "axis of resistance" - a collection of Iran-backed groups that includes Palestinian militant group Hamas and militia in Iraq and Syria.

The UK and US have repeatedly stated that the air strikes were a warning to the Houthis to stop them targeting shipping in a bid to de-escalate the crisis. Now all eyes will be on what the Houthis do next, as well as Iran, in the hope that what the UK are describing as limited and target strikes don't snowball into a wider and prolonged conflict.

What the key people are saying

Doing nothing could have been worse: "We should also recognise the risks of inaction. It would weaken international security and the rule of law, further damage freedom of navigation in the global economy and send a dangerous message that British vessels and British interests are fair game." - Rishi Sunak on Monday addressing the Commons

Strikes were proportionate: "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,” - Grant Shapps speaking to broadcasters on Monday

What next if Houthis continue?: "Quite clearly we need to understand his government’s strategy in this conflict because we cannot have an escalation which leads to further regional instability. It is quite clear that this House should have been recalled, it is what the public would have expected and I would urge him to do better in future.” - Stephen Flynn speaking to prime minister on Monday in the Commons

What others are saying

MPs backing airstrikes 'have learnt nothing': "Over decades, every time Britain supported the US in a military adventure in the region and beyond, most MPs cheered it to the echo. Every time it has ended in death, destruction and disaster. Supporters of bombing Yemen show they have learnt nothing.” - Former shadow home secretary Dianne Abbott on Monday

No solution until Iran is contained: I believe it is time to raise our collective gaze to the real cause of the attacks: Iran. Iran acts directly as well as through its proxies, boarding and seizing ships not only close to its coast in the Strait of Hormuz but further afield as well, most recently in the Gulf of Oman. The world needs a coherent coalition organised led by the US. Only once Iran is contained can we get back to finding a just solution to the conflict in Gaza without a gun to our heads. - Former British Army officer Colonel Tim Collins, writing in the Telegraph

Middle East 'is a tinderbox': "We cannot lose sight of the fact this region is a tinderbox. Attacks on US soldiers in Syria in Iraq, the terrorism of Islamic State in Iran, the rockets of Hezbollah, the Israeli drone strikes in Beirut, all stemming from the horrifying conflict in Israel and Gaza.” - Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, addressing Sunak on Monday

We need a collective voice: What happens next is hard to predict. European countries are not on the same page when it comes to issuing threats to the Houthis. The US is uneasy that France and Italy are sending warships independently, rather than being part of the US-led alliance. The list of missing partners is longer and telling: India and China, not to mention all the Arab states – bar Bahrain – are taking their own steps and precautions to monitor the situation and notionally at least trying to keep shipping on course. The concept of working in concert and acting together for a common outcome is not so much elusive as seemingly impossible. - Peter Frankopan writing in the Spectator

Bombs don't de-escalate: A scramble towards military action is endangering UK seafarers in the Red Sea. Maritime unions are calling for not just more protection, but they stress the need for co-ordinated diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. After today’s attack on a ship, can he explain to seafarers how dropping bombs will lead to a de-escalation of a situation which is already endangering their safety?” - Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts addressing Sunak on Monday

Houthis vow revenge: “The American and British enemy bears full responsibility for its criminal aggression against our Yemeni people, and it will not go unanswered and unpunished,” - Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree on Friday

Air strikes not enough" "We do not want the US-led coalition to repeat the same mistakes as the Arab-led coalition in Yemen when they concentrated airstrikes on Houthi positions without sufficient ground forces to supplement those strikes. Airstrikes on their own are not enough." - Maj Gen Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the deputy head of the eight-strong Presidential Leadership Council, which opposes the Houthis in Yemen