UK airstrikes in Yemen raise tensions amid complex regional conflicts
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UK carried out airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen to protect vital trade routes after Houthi attacks on ships, but strikes complicate Yemen's ongoing conflict and Middle East tensions.
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Strikes set precedent for further UK involvement if Houthis continue attacks; consequences and exit strategy unclear.
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Action supported by PM Sunak and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, but tests Labour leader Starmer's calls for Commons votes on military action.
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Strikes seen as escalation by Houthis and their backer Iran, who want to be part of wider Israel-Arab conflict.
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Complex regional alliances and rivalries mean even limited strikes have risky implications in unstable part of the world.