Britain ‘considering air strikes’ on Houthis after Red Sea attacks

The British government is reportedly considering air strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels after the US Navy sank three boats that were pursuing a cargo ship in the Red Sea.

Britain “won’t hesitate to take further action to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea”, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps wrote in The Telegraph newspaper on Sunday, amid reports the UK and US are preparing to issue a joint warning to the group.

“The Houthis should be under no misunderstanding: we are committed to holding malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks,” Mr Shapps said.

The Sun and The Telegraph have reported that Britain is weighing up the possibility of an armed response as the Houthis claim attacks on ships in the Red Sea that they say are either linked to Israel or sailing to Israeli ports.

The Iran-backed militia has been launching rockets at cargo ships in the Red Sea from Yemen since November and claims the attacks are in response to the Gaza war.

Mr Shapps said he had spoken with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday after a container ship was struck in the Red Sea.

“Between November and December there’s been a 500 per cent increase in Houthi attacks on international shipping in and around the Red Sea,” he wrote on social media.

“This is unacceptable as it damages world trade by illegally blocking freedom of navigation at sea. These attacks must therefore stop.”

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said he had spoken to Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, on Sunday.

“I made clear that Iran shares responsibility for preventing these attacks given their long-standing support to the Houthis,” he said.

The UK and US are reportedly preparing a warning to the Yemeni rebels after a series of attacks on vessels