UK warns willing to take 'direct action' over Red Sea attacks

Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Monday that the United Kingdom is prepared to take direct action against Huthi rebels in Yemen, who are allegedly backed by Iran and have been involved in multiple attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

This declaration comes amidst heightened tensions in the strategic shipping lane, where US Navy helicopters reportedly fired on Huthi rebels attempting to board a cargo ship on Sunday.

The Huthi rebels, who captured Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014 and control a significant portion of the country, including the Red Sea coastline, claim to have suffered casualties in the recent events.

Acting in solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, the rebels have frequently targeted passing ships in the Red Sea using drones and missiles, impacting a route crucial for 12 per cent of global trade.

Following the most recent incident, Shapps suggested that Britain might escalate its military involvement. It’s worth noting that in mid-December, a British destroyer reportedly downed a suspected Huthi attack drone in the Red Sea.

“We are willing to take direct action, and we won’t hesitate to take further action to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The Huthis “should be under no misunderstanding: we are committed to holding malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks”.

Shapps described the situation in the region as “a test for the international community” which had implications for other potentially contested waterways around the world.

“If we do not protect the Red Sea, it risks emboldening those looking to threaten elsewhere including in the South China Sea and Crimea,” he added.

“We need to stand firm with our allies, stand firm for our beliefs and stand firm for innocent people caught up in these events.”

The Telegraph said London is drawing up plans with Washington for potential military strikes against the Huthis, and reported that a joint statement giving the rebels a final warning to stop their attacks was imminent.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Sunday he had spoken to his Iranian counterpart  Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian about the Red Sea tensions.

“I made clear that Iran shares responsibility for preventing these attacks,” he said on social media, noting Tehran’s “long-standing support” for the Huthis.

With inputs from agencies