By 53% to 22% the public back the government’s decision to attack Houthi targets threatening shipping
Last Thursday, British and American forces carried out air strikes on the Houthi militant group in Yemen. The strikes were in response to repeated missile attacks by the Houthis on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
New YouGov data now finds that a majority of the public (53%) support the government’s decision to conduct the strikes, compared to 22% who are opposed.
Seven in ten of those who voted Conservative in 2019 (72%) support the strikes, with 2019 Labour voters backing them by the much reduced rate of 40% to 31%.
Young Britons are split 27% to 27% on the strikes (with fully 46% unsure) – support for the attacks grows with each successive age group, reaching 74% among the over-65s.
There is slightly higher public support for the government’s decision to send forces to protect shipping, at 60% compared to 15% opposed. British destroyer HMS Diamond shot down a suspected attack drone in December, with US forces intercepting anti-ship missiles in recent days.
Photo: Getty
