Britain announced on Sunday its readiness for "direct action" to halt the attacks by the Ansar Allah group (Houthis) on shipping and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, following the group's declaration of 10 members killed in American airstrikes against three of its boats in the region.
Maritime sources in Yemen's Hodeidah port reported that an American helicopter strike targeted the three boats after they attacked a commercial container ship belonging to the Danish company Maersk south of the Red Sea.
The British stance comes after Washington, according to American media reports, decided to withdraw the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford from the Eastern Mediterranean "in the coming days."
The aircraft carrier had been sent to the region following the outbreak of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
ABC News reported two U.S. officials stating that the naval carrier group—composed of warships, destroyers, and fighter jets—will return to its port in Virginia as planned, so it can be equipped for future deployment.
One official noted that the United States retains its military capabilities in the region and remains capable of deploying additional cruisers and destroyers in the Middle East.
Direct Action
British Defence Minister Grant Shapps, in an article for The Telegraph, stated the UK is "ready for direct action" against the Houthi group.
Shapps detailed how the British Royal Navy's destroyer HMS Diamond destroyed a suspected drone in December, which was believed to be targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
He clarified that the UK sent the destroyer to the Red Sea to support international efforts to protect commercial shipping and maritime navigation.
He underlined the seriousness of the situation in the Red Sea, which affects everyone in the UK despite being thousands of miles away. Some shipping companies have been forced to abandon this route for global goods transport due to Houthi attacks.
Shapps pointed out that insurance costs for international shipping have increased tenfold since the beginning of December, and the Houthi attacks surged by 500% from November to December, endangering the lives of mariners.
He emphasized that the Houthi attacks have destabilized the region, and the continued "aggression" in the Red Sea carries the risk of escalation that could lead to conflict on a regional level.
"If we don't protect the Red Sea," he said, "it means we are encouraging those who want to threaten other areas, including the South China Sea and the Crimean Peninsula."
"We are ready for direct action, and we will not hesitate in taking further measures to deter threats to navigation freedom in the Red Sea."
Naval Task Force
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had announced on December 18 the formation of a naval task force called "Guardian of the Seas" comprising 10 countries, including one Arab nation, Bahrain, with the objective to counter attacks in the Red Sea.
In solidarity with the people of Gaza against Israeli aggression, the Houthis have declared their intention to target with missiles and drones all commercial shipping vessels owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel.
