Sir, – Ireland, like Britain, is an open economy that depends on global free trade and freedom of navigation. Nearly 15 per cent of all goods imported into Europe, the Middle East and North Africa come from Asia and the Gulf by sea. So, as the Tánaiste has said, what happens in the Red Sea has consequences for all of us.
In recent months, Houthi rebels in Yemen have attacked foreign-owned commercial vessels operating in the Red Sea, inflicting economic damage and risking innocent lives. Since mid-November there have been over 40 such attacks, including against British and other naval vessels. The attacks have forced many of the world’s largest shipping firms to re-route their vessels on much longer journeys to Europe, at greater commercial and environmental cost.
The UK and like-minded partners have responded, diplomatically and with concerted action. We helped establish Operation Prosperity Guardian – an international naval force to deter Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. But the Houthis and their backers continued to defy the international community, putting international security and prosperity at risk. On January 10th, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution demanding the Houthis cease their unjustified attacks. That too was ignored.
Against this backdrop, the US and UK, with support from the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Bahrain, have taken carefully focused military action in striking Houthi targets in Yemen to degrade their destructive capabilities and thus protect global shipping. These strikes were legal, limited, necessary and proportionate, against specific targets. Every mission carried out by RAF aircraft was assessed and analysed carefully and there are no indications of any civilian casualties.
These are not decisions any government takes lightly. I know from my own experience how carefully our ministers, officials and military chiefs weigh such matters. But we and our partners are clear that the threats involved need a credible, robust and targeted response, a necessary part of the wider effort to protect the trade arteries on which we all depend. – Yours, etc,
PAUL JOHNSTON,
British Ambassador to Ireland,
Dublin 4.