correspondentjonathan beale. just on that last point about the ships which have been targeted, the british government has been saying that one of their warships was targeted within the last 48 hours and they are talking about self defence being the justification for the attacks. defence being the 'ustification for the awash defence being the 'ustification for the attackeh the attacks. yes, and the two thints, the attacks. yes, and the two things, making _ the attacks. yes, and the two things, making sure - the attacks. yes, and the two things, making sure freedom | the attacks. yes, and the two l things, making sure freedom of navigation because a lot of trade goes through it, 12% of the world's trade goes through the red sea but also, because, they say, and i think grant shapps said, that being attacked, the biggest yet come and remember, the houthis have done 26 or 27 out of these kind of attacks using drones and missiles against shipping, the biggest was two days ago and grant shapps, the uk defence secretary, thinks a british warship was among the targets. the americans have also felt the same. so you know, when you hear americans saying
are supporting hamas, as israel continues its military action in gaza. i asked our defence correspondentjonathan beale to explain the reasons behind what has been happening. i mean, the two things. first of all, making sure freedom of navigation because a lot of trade goes through it, 12% of the world's trade goes through the red sea. but also because they say, and i think grant shapps said, that that big attack, the biggest yet, and remember the houthis have done 26 or 27 now of these kinds of attacks using drones, missiles against shipping, that was the biggest two days ago. grant shapps, the uk defence secretary, thinks that a british warship was among the targets there. the americans have also felt the same. when you hear americans saying this is about de—escalation, well, military action never results in de—escalation. i think at best this could be deterrence. the question is, will it be enough
need to be debated, and then we could make up our minds. but to the principle of whether the houthis should be stopped, i would put it to the government that if they put pressure to have that immediate bilateral ceasefire, they take out the rug from under what the houthis are using as their excuse to commit these heinous acts. to are using as their excuse to commit these heinous acts.— these heinous acts. to put the government — these heinous acts. to put the government side, _ these heinous acts. to put the government side, they - these heinous acts. to put the government side, they say - these heinous acts. to put the l government side, they say they these heinous acts. to put the - government side, they say they are acting in self—defence. you will have heard them talking about how a british ship was attacked in the last 48 hours and that it was self—defence to disrupt the capacity of those attacks, notjust on commercial ships, of those attacks, notjust on commercialships, but of those attacks, notjust on commercial ships, but on a british warship. commercial ships, but on a british warshi. , , commercial ships, but on a british warshi. ~ , ., warship. absolutely, i do understand. _ warship. absolutely, i do understand. when - warship. absolutely, i do understand. when we . warship. absolutely, i do l understand. when we were warship. absolutely, i do - understand. when we were talking warship. absolutely, i do _ understand. when we were talking of legislating for this, and it is liberal democrat policy to legislate this convention into law, it was understood that there will be times when the timing of these things is out of our hands, either in a quick
of the incoming ordnance. that's what they'll be looking to do, try and punch a hole in a western warship. can you just explain the motivation behind what the houthis are doing in the red sea? as you say, they have been attacking these warships. they were saying primarily that they were attacking israeli ships and ships that were heading towards what they call palestinian territories. "what are they getting out of it?" i suppose is my question. the houthis are punching way above their weight geopolitically because, up until now, their war, their conflict has been confined to the borders of yemen and just beyond, where they have been hitting targets in saudi arabia and in a couple of cases the uae, but they have decided tojoin in the gaza war on the side of hamas. they have professed themselves to be a part of the iranian—backed axis of resistance alongside hezbollah, hamas and any other iranian allies in the region. they have decided that they are
i asked our defence correspondentjonathan beale to explain the reasons behind what has been happening. i mean, the two things. first of all, making sure freedom of navigation because a lot of trade goes through it, 12% of the world's trade goes through the red sea. but also because they say, and i think grant shapps said, that that big attack, the biggest yet, and remember the houthis have done 26 or 27 now of these kinds of attacks using drones, missiles against shipping, that was the biggest two days ago. grant shapps, the uk defence secretary, thinks that a british warship was among the targets there. the americans have also felt the same. when you hear americans saying this is about de—escalation, well, military action never results in de—escalation. i think at best this could be deterrence. the question is, will it be enough
a painful retaliation on the us and uk and i think the most likely form of that is that they will try to hit western warships in the way that they did on tuesday, where they mounted a complex mass attack, a combination of drones and missiles, in an attempt to overwhelm the air defences of those western warships. in the case of hms diamond, the royal navy type 25 destroyer, it had to rely on its close—in support weapons because the missiles that it had were not on their own going to be enough to stop some of the incoming ordnance. that is what they are trying to do, trying to punch a hole in a western warship. can you explain the motivation behind what the houthis are doing in the red sea? as you say, they have been attacking these warships and they said they were primarily attacking israeli ships and ships that were heading towards what they call palestinian territories. what are they getting out of it, i suppose is my question?
there are questions that need to be answered. there is also a 20—year—old convention that came out of the debacle that was the iraq war that has been broken again. these things need to be debated, and then we could make up our minds. but to the principle of whether the houthis should be stopped, i would put it to the government that if they put pressure to have that immediate bilateral ceasefire, they take the rug out from under what the houthis are using as their excuse to commit these heinous acts. to put the government side, they say they are acting in self—defence. you will have heard them talking about how a british ship was attacked in the last 48 hours and that it was self—defence to disrupt the capacity of those attacks, notjust on commercial ships, but on a british warship. absolutely, i do understand.
last night. he is currently in ukraine. let's listen.- ukraine. let's listen. very straightforward _ ukraine. let's listen. very straightforward question. | ukraine. let's listen. very - straightforward question. why ukraine. let's listen. - straightforward question. why did you authorise military action against houthi targets in yemen? 0ver against houthi targets in yemen? over the last month we have seen a significant _ over the last month we have seen a significant increase in the number of houthi — significant increase in the number of houthi attacks on commercial shipping — of houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the red sea. that is putting — shipping in the red sea. that is putting innocent lives at risk, it is disrupting the global economy and it is also— is disrupting the global economy and it is also destabilising the region and in _ it is also destabilising the region and in that time we have also seen the single — and in that time we have also seen the single biggest attack on an navy warship, _ the single biggest attack on an navy warship, a _ the single biggest attack on an navy warship, a british navy warship, in the case _ warship, a british navy warship, in the case it— warship, a british navy warship, in the case. it is clear that that type of behaviour cannot carry on, that's why we _ of behaviour cannot carry on, that's why we joined with allies in issuing very public— why we joined with allies in issuing very public condemnation of this behaviour. — very public condemnation of this behaviour, and why i made a decision with allies _ behaviour, and why i made a decision with allies to — behaviour, and why i made a decision with allies to take what i believe to be _ with allies to take what i believe to be necessary, proportionate and targeted _ to be necessary, proportionate and targeted action against military targets— targeted action against military targets to degrade and disrupt houthi — targets to degrade and disrupt houthi capability. we will not hesitate _ houthi capability. we will not hesitate to protect lives and ensure the safety _ hesitate to protect lives and ensure the safety of commercial shipping.
times of merchant shipping. it is hard to see what other options the us, and it is mainly the us, britain helped and the list of countries not taking part is longer than the list of countries taking part in this military operation. it is hard to see what else they can do other than air strikes. find see what else they can do other than air strikes. �* ., ., , ~ , air strikes. and more air strikes. and i sunpose — air strikes. and more air strikes. and i suppose one _ air strikes. and more air strikes. and i suppose one of— air strikes. and more air strikes. and i suppose one of the - and i suppose one of the difficulties was that the, one of the primary objectives from president biden was to stop this war spreading and i read out what the houthis of sed in the last few minutes, it is not to shipping, they quote that all us and british interests are now, quote, legitimate targets. that is a worry, isn't it? it is a worry and i think that the british believe that a royal navy warship in the red sea has already been deliberately targeted by the houthis. but what you may end up with is a tit—for—tat situation and just to be clear, there are no plans, as i understand, for more strikes tonight but. but they are
The UK government has unveiled plans to deploy Royal Navy warships to the Indian Ocean region later this year to operate and train with Indian forces, signalling what it described as the growing importance of strategic relationship between the two countries.