British and US forces appear to be readying to strike Houthi rebels after Red Sea attacks
British and US forces appear to be gearing up to strike an Iranian-backed militant group in Yemen after the Houthi rebels defied a warning to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea.
Grant Shapps, the UK defence secretary, accused Iran of meddling and declared “enough is enough” in an escalating crisis that could ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East.
Concerns are also growing about the global economic impact of the disruption to shipping through the vital Red Sea, with vessels choosing to divert, pushing up the cost of trade and causing inflation to rise.
A Royal Navy warship shot down seven drones overnight on Tuesday in an operation with US naval vessels and jets to repel the largest Houthi drone and missile attack to date.
A Royal Navy warship shot down seven drones overnight on Tuesday
Pic:MOD
Why are the Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea
It came despite a warning by the United States, the UK and other partners issued a week ago to the group to end the targeting of commercial shipping or “bear the responsibility of the consequences”.
‘Watch this space’
Asked whether military action against Houthi targets was now inevitable, Mr Shapps told reporters on Wednesday: “I can’t go into details but I can say that the joint statement that we issued set out a very clear path that, if this doesn’t stop, then action will be taken, so I am afraid the simplest thing is to say: watch this space.”
He also had unusually stern words for Iran, which he accused of arming the Houthis and of providing surveillance support to identify shipping targets.
“We saw this huge attack last night by the Houthi militants but be in no doubt at all Iran is guiding what is happening there in the Red Sea,” the defence secretary said.
“Providing them not just with equipment to carry out those attacks but also often with the eyes and ears to allow those attacks to happen.
“Enough is enough as far as we are concerned.”
As for whether this meant the UK and its allies were prepared to attack Iran directly, Mr Shapps said: “Our concern is directly with where these attacks are coming from – so that is the Houthis who are, as you know, stationed in Yemen and carrying out attacks from Yemen itself so we have called on the Houthis to stop, to cease and desist. That must now happen.”
The Houthis started attacking shipping linked to Israel in the Red Sea in November in protest at Israel’s war in Gaza, which was launched after Hamas – another militant group backed by Iran – carried out a devastating terrorist attack against Israeli targets on 7 October.
Reported incidents in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between 19 November 2023 to 2 January 2024
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Red Sea attacks explained
A Houthi spokesperson on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the latest major missile and drone strike, claiming they had targeted a US warship that had been operating in support of Israel.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree signalled the militants were not going to stop their mission, saying it would continue “until the aggression stops and the siege on our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip ends”.
‘There will be consequences’
Anthony Blinken, the US secretary of state who is on a visit to the region, repeated the message to the Houthis that was made in the 3 January joint statement, saying 20 countries have made “clear that if these attacks continue as they did yesterday, there will be consequences”.
US and British forces on Tuesday night shot down 18 one-way attack drones – designed to explode upon impact – fired by Houthi militias in Yemen along with two anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile.
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Houthi fighters will face ‘consequences’
The attack started at about 9.15pm local time, according to a statement by the US military describing it as a “complex attack”.
The US said this was the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping since 19 November.
Mr Shapps, in a statement released on social media, detailed the UK involvement: “Overnight, HMS Diamond, along with US warships, successfully repelled the largest attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date.
“Deploying Sea Viper missiles and guns, Diamond destroyed multiple attack drones heading for her and commercial shipping in the area, with no injuries or damage sustained to Diamond or her crew.
“The UK alongside allies have previously made clear that these illegal attacks are completely unacceptable and if continued the Houthis will bear the consequences.
“We will take the action needed to protect innocent lives and the global economy.”
Iran-backed Houthis say the attacks are aimed at ending the air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip following the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
A US-led coalition of nations has been patrolling the Red Sea to try and prevent the attacks.
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How Houthi rebel attacks are affecting the world
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Ships saw approaching missiles and drones
The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping attacks in the region, said it was aware of an attack off the Yemeni port of Hodeida on Tuesday.
Private intelligence firm Ambrey said ships described over the radio seeing missiles and drones, with US-allied warships in the area urging “vessels to proceed at maximum speed”.
The attack took place ahead of a planned United Nations Security Council vote on Wednesday to potentially condemn and demand an immediate halt to the rebel attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.
World
US blocks Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials from United Nations’ annual meeting in New York
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials have been blocked from attending September’s annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has revoked the US visas of delegates from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and denied others from applying for one.
It is the latest step by Donald Trump’s administration to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, and follows the suspension of a programme to allow injured children from Gaza to receive treatment in the US.
Mahmoud Abbas addressed the general assembly in 2024, but is barred from next month’s meeting. Pic: Reuters
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” a statement from the US State Department said.
It added that, to be considered partners for peace, both groups “must consistently repudiate terrorism, and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO”.
Offensive will cause ‘intolerable deaths’
Several US allies, including France, Malta, and Australia have announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state at September’s United Nations General Assembly. Canada and the UK will too, unless Israel meets certain conditions.
Israel declared Gaza’s largest city a dangerous combat zone on Friday.
The army launched a planned offensive that has drawn international condemnation.
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Thick smoke rises from Gaza City after Israeli strikes
Foreign ministers from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain released a joint statement saying the military operations in Gaza City will cause “intolerable deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians”.
Gaza latest: Israel’s Gaza City offensive condemned
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in Gaza City while enduring famine.
An Israeli armoured vehicle in northern Gaza on Friday. Pic: AP
Palestinians ride a truck carrying humanitarian aid in Gaza City. Pic: AP
The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour, said Mr Abbas had planned to lead the delegation to the UN meetings and was expected to address the general assembly at the general debate, which begins on 23 September.
He was also expected to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on 22 September about a two-state solution, a broad idea involving Israel coexisting with an independent Palestinian state.
The State of Palestine is an observer member of the UN, meaning it can speak at meetings but not vote on resolutions.
The State of Palestine cannot vote on UN resolutions. Pic: AP
US decision ‘contravenes international law’
The Palestinian Authority “expressed its deep regret and astonishment” at the visa decision, calling it “a violation of US commitments” as the host of the UN, and claiming it “contravenes international law”.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body would be seeking clarification in the “hope that this will be resolved”.
Hundreds of diplomats left when Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking at the general assembly in 2024. Pic: Reuters
The State Department said that the Palestinian Authority’s mission to the UN, comprising officials who are permanently based there, would not be included in the restrictions.
Under a 1947 UN agreement, the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.
But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
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The death toll in Gaza has now risen to 63,025, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
It also reported five more malnutrition-related deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number during the war to 322, with 121 of them children.
World
Brazil implores businesses to attend major climate summit, despite ‘second thoughts’ amid Trump backlash
The Brazilian hosts of the biggest climate meeting of the year have implored businesses to attend in November, amid concerns some are backing away from the climate agenda into the shadow of Donald Trump.
In an interview with Sky News, Ana Toni, chief executive of the COP30 climate summit in November, admitted some companies were having “second thoughts” about the global switch to green economies because policymakers were creating uncertainty.
The US President Donald Trump has been attacking wind farms and waging tariff wars that could slow the transition to green energy.
Banks including HSBC and Barclays have ditched a net zero alliance set up just four years ago by Mark Carney, now the Canadian Prime Minister.
Ana Toni, Brazil’s climate secretary, is chief executive of the COP30 climate talks. Pic: Reuters
But even before Trump took office, tech companies were quietly dropping climate targets to prioritise energy-hungry AI, and other businesses were “greenhushing” their climate initiatives for fear of backlash.
In this environment, there are fears fewer business leaders will attend the annual talks, which are also being hosted in a city on the edge of the Amazon that hasn’t enough hotel rooms.
On Friday, the COP30 team wrote to business leaders urging them to “step forward, not back” and travel to Belem, despite “logistical challenges” and the “background of systemic uncertainty”.
Ana Toni told Sky News: “We are very concerned that the enabling conditions must be there so that the private sector can also deliver where they do best, which is bringing in technology, bringing innovation and accelerating the process of decarbonisation.”
In August the share price of Danish wind farm developer plummeted after the US halted its Rhode Island wind farm, while the British Tories and Reform parties are also attacking net zero.
Ana Toni met with King Charles and leaders of other COP summits at Clarence House last year. Pic: Reuters
But Ms Toni there is “nothing to panic [about], because we can see that the transition is inevitable,” citing major progress in China, India and Europe and Brazil.
Referring to the US’s withdrawal from the COP process, she said: “198 countries minus one is not zero. And we will put all our efforts of working with the 197 countries that want to go forward and want to protect their population.”
“Climate action is not only [still] cool, it is necessary,” Ms Toni said.
“We all need to face reality. We are going through a huge climate crisis… If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Companies understand that.”
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