Four British Typhoon fighter jets took part in Thursday night’s US-led strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, maintaining London’s role as Washington’s chief attack dog.
Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Bahrain were also involved and the European governments, with the exception of Spain, have all since endorsed the attack. But the UK was the only other country besides America to have its forces launch missiles. More than sixty targets were hit in total, in 16 different locations across the impoverished country. Five Houthi fighters were killed.
RAF Typhoon fighter jet at an airshow in Bournemouth, England
The Royal Air Force (RAF) was deployed without any public discussion or democratic accountability. Workers in the UK went to bed Thursday with the news having broken just a few hours earlier, around 7pm, that a cabinet meeting had been called to discuss military action in Yemen and woke to the news that airstrikes had been carried out around midnight.
That such a deeply unpopular government—the ruling Conservative Party trails by 13 points in the polls—is ready to act so recklessly points to British imperialism’s desperate need to cleave to America. That it is able to do so depends on the total support for its war policy provided by the opposition Labour Party.
Especially since Brexit cut the UK off from potential allies in Europe, ending its primary usefulness to Washington as the staunchest pro-US voice within the European Union, Britain has doubled down on staging military provocations to curry favour with American imperialism. It has played a leading role in Ukraine against Russia and is now doing the same in the Red Sea against Iran, which backs the Houthis, where it has deployed two warships, HMS Diamond and HMS Richmond. Another, HMS Lancaster, is in the Gulf of Oman.
HMS Diamond in waters off Bournemouth, England in 2018
The morning after the bombing raid, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky. He pledged £2.5 billion of military aid to Ukraine over the coming year—the UK’s largest annual commitment since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Sunak said the support was vital because, if President Vladimir Putin “wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there”.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his shadow defence secretary John Healey were briefed on planned action Thursday night. They appeared first thing Friday on the morning news shows to make clear their agreement.