The British Return: The UK's Intensification of Military Involvement in Yemen

The so-called Yemen conflict began in 2014 when Houthi rebels seized control of the capital, Sana’a. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition, supported by the UK and the USA, intervened militarily. What followed was a brutal war involving airstrikes, blockades, and proxy battles between regional powers such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. Over the past decade, the conflict has evolved through shifting alliances, ceasefires, and renewed violence. Between 2023 and 2025, Houthi attacks on international shipping routes brought the UK back into the spotlight.

Photograph: PA Images

The UK has consistently supplied billions of pounds worth of arms to Saudi Arabia throughout the Yemen conflict. While the government claims that the weapons are used responsibly, human rights organizations accuse Saudi Arabia of using them in attacks that have harmed civilians. This raises moral concerns about whether the UK is complicit in prolonging the conflict, especially as it now claims to be intervening to stabilize the region through airstrikes.

The United Nations has called Yemen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Millions are starving, especially children, with malnutrition and cholera outbreaks overwhelming healthcare systems. Basic infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water supplies, has collapsed. While the UK asserts that its military actions are aimed at specific threats, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (“Gate of Tears” in Arabic) remains a key strategic chokepoint. It links the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. On one side of the narrow strait lies the Arabian Peninsula; on the other, the Horn of Africa—a fragile region long plagued by violence and instability. In recent years, it has also become a hub for terrorism, piracy, human trafficking, and smuggling operations.

In a 2013 essay for the Rift Valley Review, Christopher Clapham described the history of the Horn of Africa as “peculiarly violent” and characterized by “overwhelmingly tragic human trafficking.” Recently, however, signs of a more hopeful future have emerged. This is due in part to the leadership of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose diplomatic efforts led to a peace deal with Eritrea and a reduction in regional tensions—achievements that earned him the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.

Nevertheless, many local and regional challenges remain unresolved. Meanwhile, the Horn of Africa has increasingly become an arena where Middle Eastern powers compete to advance their commercial and geopolitical interests—especially in the context of intensifying US-China strategic rivalry. China’s activities in and around the Red Sea are attracting growing international scrutiny. How these Gulf and global rivalries unfold will significantly influence whether the Bab el-Mandeb becomes a gateway to stability and shared prosperity—or continues to be a source of conflict and suffering.

Inside the UK, public and political reactions remain divided. Some MPs support the airstrikes as necessary to defend international shipping and allied interests. Others—particularly opposition members and peace groups—question the legality, cost, and moral justification of further military involvement in the Middle East. Protesters argue that the UK should focus more on diplomacy than on airpower.