Playing with fire in Middle East

■ THE Government in particular and Parliament in general must tread very carefully with regard to direct action on targets in Houthi-controlled Yemen.

The UK’s military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq are still seared into the memories of the British public and not in a good way. And what good came of the Afghanistan conflict with the Taliban now back in charge?

We’ve shown the Houthis, rightly or wrongly, that we mean business. It would now be wise to step back, increase political pressure and concentrate on escorting commercial shipping safely through the Red Sea to avoid further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

After all, we have plenty of defensive technology available. Robert Boston, Kingshill, Kent

■ The military response against unacceptable Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea unfortunately allows Israel’s enemies, such as Iran, to add to the narrative that the West is antiIslamic and is fighting to support Netanyahu’s government. Although that’s unfair, it’s hard not to look at the West’s military interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria as well as seemingly unquestioning support for Israel over many years, as serious errors of judgment. While it’s justifiable to protect shipping from the Houthis and Iran, that doesn’t mean we should support Israel’s appalling destruction of Gaza.

Brett Grainger Rugeley, Staffs

■ It beggars belief that Britain and the US have hit dozens of targets in Yemen to protect shipping in the Red Sea.

It’s also been announced that in the coming year the Government will support Ukraine with £2.5billion worth of aid – yet we can’t find money to support our junior doctors.

Sunak says we will always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade – and I know we must protect shipping – but now we have retaliated we could be on the verge of all-out war in the Middle East.

Dave Mellor, Warrington, Cheshire

■ I visited Yemen some years ago and saw extreme poverty in the cities, with children starving and women begging. It was poverty at its worst.

Now Iran is arming and equipping Houthi fighters with speedboats and the best military kit available and they’re all prepared to die for the cause.

Iran wants to control the Middle East – and despises freedom and democracy.

Guy Middlewood, York

■ Why is it that every time there is a problem somewhere in the world it is usually the US and the UK military who go in first?

We see it again with the current crisis in the Red Sea.

Why are the German, French, Italian and other EU countries not joining in the action to protect our common interests?

J Muldoon, Widnes, Cheshire

■ The American and UK strikes against the Houthi rebels shows that you can, with care, take out targets that are a threat. This is in sharp contrast to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, which takes no account of civilian loss of life.

It’s about time that politicians of all parties and all over the world faced reality and called for an end to the indiscriminate destruction of the Gaza Strip.

Ronnie Starkey, Norwich

■ It looks very much like Rishi Sunak has decided that his only hope of re-election is by engaging in military action. Surely, it can only be a matter of time before he is filmed in military uniform? John Newsinger, Brighton