The UK and US launched targeted strikes on military facilities overnight.

Mr Sunak said the action against the Iranian-backed group, who he accuses of threatening UK ships, was in "self-defence".

In response, Houthi officials have warned the UK and US will "pay a heavy price".

The US-led strikes are the first against the Houthi militia since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea last year.

The Houthi movement is a political and military group which controls a large part of Yemen and says it is supporting Hamas by targeting ships heading to Israel.

More than 60 targets at 16 locations used by Houthis in Yemen were struck, the US Air Force said.

Speaking early on Friday morning, Mr Sunak accused the Houthi movement of threatening UK and international ships and causing major disruption to the trade route.

"Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week, " the prime minister said.

"This cannot stand. The United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade."

He added that the UK had "taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain".

The aim of the action was "to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping", Mr Sunak said.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the Royal Air Force typhoons conducted two precision strikes on Houthi sites, including an airfield used to launch drones and missiles over the Red Sea and another site used to launch attack drones.

"The detailed results of the strikes are being assessed, but early indications are that the Houthis' ability to threaten merchant shipping has taken a blow," the MoD added.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said there were no further air strikes "immediately planned".

"We were confident that these limited, proportionate, necessary strikes that went in last night was necessary to disrupt the Houthis' ability to attack our warships that are protecting shipping in the Red Sea," he told BBC Breakfast.

Mr Heappey added it "was exclusively an act of self-defence" and that the government's legal position was "sound".

The strikes have also been backed by Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, who was briefed by the government on Thursday night.

"Clearly the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have to be dealt with," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast programme, "their attacks on commercial shipping, attacks on important trade routes and putting civilian lives at risk and therefore, we do support this action".

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