Britain is “considering air strikes on Houthi rebels” after attacks in the Red Sea

Britain is considering air strikes on Houthi rebels after the US said it sank three of its boats in the Red Sea.

According to the US, four rebel boats fired on the Maersk Hangzhou and came within meters of the ship.

No one on the ship was injured, but several armed crew members were killed.

Defense Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the government will not hesitate to take “immediate action” to prevent further attacks.

He added that Britain “will not hesitate to take further action to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.”

“There should be no misunderstanding about the Houthis: we are committed to holding malicious actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.”

HMS Diamond, a Royal Navy destroyer, joined international efforts to deter attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea in December.

Meanwhile, Houthi rebels claim attacks on ships in the Red Sea are linked to Israel or headed to Israeli ports.

They claim that their goal is to end the Israeli air and ground offensive against the Gaza Strip.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on New Year’s Eve.

“I spoke to @Amirabdolahian today about Houthi attacks in the Red Sea that threaten the lives of innocent people and the global economy. “I have made it clear that Iran shares responsibility for preventing these attacks as it has long supported the Houthis,” he said in a post on X.

A UK government spokesperson said: ‘The situation in the Red Sea is incredibly serious and the Houthi attacks are unacceptable and destabilizing.’ As you would expect, while plans are being made for a range of scenarios, no decisions have been made yet and we can continue to follow all diplomatic channels.

“We call on the Iran-backed Houthis to stop these illegal attacks, and we work with allies and partners to protect freedom of navigation.”

Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou said it was hit by a missile on Saturday evening as it crossed the southern Red Sea.

The same ship issued another distress call about a second attack “by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats.”

Small arms fire was fired at the Maersk Hangzhou within approximately 20 meters of the ship, and a security team on the ship returned fire.

US helicopters returned fire after responding to the distress call, sinking three of the four Houthi boats while the fourth fled.

No damage to U.S. personnel or equipment was reported.

The US says the Houthi rebels have shown no signs of stopping their “relentless” attacks.

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