Red Sea: UK defence secretary says British forces will repel Houthi attacks

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said British forces are ready to act against Houthi rebels that target cargo ships in the Red Sea.

In a newspaper article, he said the UK was «willing to take direct action» to protect the key shipping lane.

Highlighting how a British warship shot down a suspected attack drone in the Red Sea in December, Mr Shapps said «we won't hesitate to take further action».

The Houthis have targeted foreign ships since the Israel-Hamas war started.

The Iran-backed rebel group has declared support for Hamas and has said it targets ships travelling to Israel, launching more than 100 drone and missile attacks.

The US and British warships have been shooting down these missiles and drones, at huge cost, but are now warning the Houthis to stop or risk military retaliation.

In his article in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Shapps wrote: «The Houthis should be under no misunderstanding: we are committed to holding malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.»

He added: «Continued Red Sea aggression risks miscalculation and escalation which could trigger a region-wide conflict.»

If the Red Sea was not protected, he wrote, «it risks emboldening those looking to threaten elsewhere including in the South China Sea and Crimea».

Mr Shapps said the situation was «a test for the international community» and that the UK needed to «stand firm with our allies».

The US launched an international naval operation in December to protect ships in the area. Countries including the UK, Canada, France, Bahrain, Norway and Spain have joined.

As part of that alliance, HMS Diamond — a British Type 45 Destroyer — shot down a suspected attack drone that month. The Ministry of Defence said it was the first time in