To put UK and US bombing Houthi bases in context, Saudi Arabia has been at war with the Houthis since 2015 and has received in excess of $23 billion in weaponry from the UK including paveway bombs, brimstone missiles, Typhoon and Tornado bombers. Arms sales to Saudi Arabia to conduct its war in the Yemen is very big business for UK manufacturers. Human Rights Watch has documented numerous Saudi airstrikes against civilian targets causing at least 19,000 civilian casualties since the war began, many of which were carried out using UK armaments. In effect, the UK is profiting from supporting Saudi Arabia in its proxy war against Iran (as part of a struggle for hegemony in the Middle East). The Houthis (who don't have an airforce) are victims of a larger power struggle. UK airstrikes on the Houthis cannot be reduced to simple 'retaliation' for drone attacks in the Red Sea and should be immediately ceased. (The Campaign Aginst the Arms Trade (CAAT) and Human Rights Watch websites are reliable sources of data on the scale of arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Saudi violations of human rights in the Yemen.)
Peter Burgess ● 492d