Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his international counterparts on upholding (a) international law and (b) UN Security Council Resolution 2417 in respect of the planned military assault on Hudaydah Port, Yemen.

​We are in regular contact with the Coalition about the need to ensure that any military operations in and around Hodeidah are conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including on the protection of civilians, and do not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows through the port. The Foreign Secretary also made representations to his UAE and Saudi counterparts on 9 and 10 June respectively. I spoke with my UAE counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Gargash, on 13 and 16 June to discuss this and have received assurances that IHL and humanitarian concerns are being factored into operational planning. At all levels, including through regular engagement by our Ambassadors, we have underlined the critical importance of maintaining humanitarian and commercial flows through Hodeidah and Saleef ports. We continue to urge all parties to respect International Humanitarian Law and prioritise the protection of civilians.