The US and UK's strikes on Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, aimed at stopping their attacks on Red Sea shipping, were designed to send a "very strong message" to Tehran, says Melanie Garson, Associate Professor in International Conflict Resolution at University College London. "In the absence of having been deterred by just the presence of the UK and the US within the Red Sea, it's now trying to put forward the real commitment to ensuring the safety of global shipping" she explains to AFP. On Friday, Washington and London launched a barrage of strikes on Huthi targets, who say they are working in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. SOUNDBITES