The UK and its allies will prevent the Red Sea from becoming a “no go” zone for shipping, defence secretary Grant Shapps has said.
Drone and rocket attacks by Houthi rebels on cargo ships in the Red Sea have caused many of the world’s largest shipping companies to avoid the area.
Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, vowed to step up efforts to tackle Iran’s “malign influence” to ensure shipping routes are clear for global commerce.
He described Hamas, along with the Houthis and Hezbollah as proxies for Iran and said they are creating “danger and insecurity” around the world.
i previously reported that the disruptions to shipping will trigger price rises and shortages of goods ranging from foodstuffs, to TVs to trainers.
The attacks have been launched by the Houthis – an Iran-backed rebel group which controls large parts of Yemen – and they started shortly after the Israel-Hamas war began on 7 October.
The Houthis declared their support for Hamas and vowed to target any ships travelling to Israel – although it is not clear whether all the ships attacked were going there.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK was committed to “repelling” the attacks on ships using the busy trade route.
He told The Sunday Times: “We are committed to protecting British interests – vessels sailing under a UK flag, or with British sailors or carrying goods destined for our shores.
“We have seen the disruption the terrorist attacks have caused – with major operators including Maersk and BP avoiding the region.
“We can’t allow any maritime area to become a no-go area, particularly such a vital route. But wider than that, we need to promote a safer world.
“The spate of illegal attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security.
“The rules-based world order means we have to remain committed to repelling these attacks to protect the free flow of global trade, and I am determined the UK will remain a major player in that.”
Lord Cameron called Iran a “malign influence” and said any escalation would be met with a “strong set of deterrent measures”, currently under discussion among the allies.
It comes after he visited the Middle East to discuss the Red Sea crisis with his counterpart in Egypt.
Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: “Iran is a thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world – there’s no doubt about that.
“You’ve got the Houthis, you’ve got Hezbollah, you’ve got the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that have actually been attacking British and American bases, troops.
“And, of course, Hamas. So you’ve got all of these proxies, and I think it’s incredibly important that, first of all, Iran receives an incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated.
“Second of all, we need to work with our allies to develop a really strong set of deterrent measures against Iran, and it’s important that we do that.
“The level of danger and insecurity in the world is at an extremely high level compared with previous years and decades, and the Iran threat is a part of that picture.”
Iran supports the Houthis but officially denies arming the group, which has seized Yemen’s capital Sanaa after ousting the government and now controls large swaths of the country.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Royal Navy initiative which provides information on security incidents to shipping operators, highlighted a series of attacks on Saturday.
There were multiple reports of a drone flying low above a vessel before exploding around 1.5 nautical miles away from it, with the incident taking place around 50 nautical miles off the Yemeni coast.
Another drone attack was reported in the Red Sea around 45 nautical miles from Saleef, Yemen.
A further incident on Saturday took place around 200 miles south west of Veraval, India – well beyond the Red Sea which has been the focus of attacks on shipping – with the US claiming a kamikaze drone launched from Iran hit a chemical tanker.
An international operation is underway to protect cargo ships, including the deployment of Royal Navy warship HMS Diamond.