Yemen strikes ’embolden’ extremists – former ambassador

The UK’s former ambassador to Yemen has warned airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in the country played “right into extremist hands”.

Frances Guy also said Britain’s priority should be pursuing a ceasefire in Gaza.

US and UK forces began launching missiles into Yemen in response to attacks on ships sailing through the Red Sea on Friday.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the UK acted in self-defence.

And he described the strikes as “necessary, proportionate, and targeted”.

Ms Guy spoke to BBC Scotland News while attending a Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration in Edinburgh.

During the event a woman was arrested after her car was involved in a crash with several protestors.

Police Scotland said the incident happened at about 14:30 on Ramsay Lane.

A force spokeswoman said: “Officers received reports of minor injuries from pedestrians, but no medical attention was required.

“A 70-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a driving offence.”

Supporters of the Houthi movement rally to denounce air strikes launched by the U.S. and Britain on Houthi targets, in Sanaa, Yemen

Meanwhile, the Houthis have said attacks will only stop when a break in the fighting between Israel and Hamas is declared.

The Iranian-backed rebel group – who control much of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa – began targeting commercial vessels after the start of the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October.

More than 60 targets were hit by the first wave of strikes backed by UK and US allies.

Further US action was carried out on Saturday, but Ms Guy – who served as UK ambassador to the country between 2001 and 2004 – said it would only “embolden” sympathisers of the group.

The former diplomat said: “They have been responding in a way that has been exactly what extremists would like because it makes it easy for the Arab street to be very anti-American and anti-British and the military action itself doesn’t achieve very much.

“The more of this kind of attack happens, the more sympathisers there are around the world with those who they see as oppressed by American and British action.”

Ms Guy told BBC Scotland News the Houthis were wrong to hit international shipping and said it was a “reasonable response” to target missiles aimed at vessels.

But she added: “Sending missiles into Yemen and getting five million Yemenis in the street shouting against America doesn’t feel very productive.”

The Houthis declared their support for Hamas and said they would target any ship travelling to Israel shortly after the conflict broke out more than three months ago.

It is not clear that all of the ships attacked were bound for Israel, but many international container ships have rerouted to avoid the area for fear of attacks.

The rebel group, who have been fighting a civil war since 2014 against Yemen’s government, said they will stop if a ceasefire is declared.

Early steps towards peace talks took place in December but Houthi negotiators have said that the attacks do not threaten those discussions.

Protesters also gathered in George Square in Glasgow

Ms Guy urged the UK and US governments to “call their bluff” or risk worsening the humanitarian crises in Yemen and Gaza.

She said: “America and Britain are seen in Yemen as friends of Israel because our governments have stood out very strongly saying that and are not talking enough about the humanitarian horrors that are going on in Gaza and are now risked in Yemen.

“I don’t think it is possible to disentangle the two conflicts. I do think ceasefire is at the heart of this.

“The immediate easiest riposte is to have an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, not least because we seem to have lost sight of the fact there is incredible humanitarian suffering going on in Gaza every day and the most important thing to do right now is to put an end to that suffering.”

Ms Guy was among hundreds of protesters who gathered in Edinburgh and Glasgow on Saturday to demand a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstrations events were also held in Aberdeen, Dundee, Dumfries and Orkney.