Sunak says Red Sea attacks ‘deeply concerning’ as Royal Navy warship joins task force

By David Hughes and Christopher McKeon, PA

Rishi Sunak hit out at the “malign” actions of Iran-backed militants targeting shipping in the Red Sea as a Royal Navy destroyer joined an international coalition to protect vessels.

Downing Street said the UK had a “clear-eyed” view of Tehran’s activities in the region as Houthi rebels in Yemen disrupted the flow of merchant shipping through the vital trade route.

The Prime Minister addressed Cabinet on the situation and told MPs it was “deeply concerning”.

Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond arrived in the region over the weekend and is now joining American and French warships in an US-led task force dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian.

The Houthi group is understood to be targeting ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait between Yemen and Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, adding to instability in the Middle East caused by the Israel-Hamas war.

The strait, whose name means “Gate of Tears”, is a significant shipping route between Asia and Europe accounting for between 10% and 12% of global maritime trade.

It is a pinch point on the route leading to and from the Suez Canal.

Mr Sunak told MPs at the Liaison Committee: “As a maritime nation, we’ve always believed very strongly in free and open shipping lanes, that is now being threatened by malign actors.

“And it’s just further evidence that the international picture is both complex and more challenging and previously we, I think may have taken many of these things for granted.

“It’s clear that we can’t and we need to invest in our defence capability and strengthen our alliances to keep everyone at home safe and protect our economy too.”

The Houthis back Hamas in its war with Israel, but Mr Sunak suggested the activities in the Red Sea were part of a wider campaign by “malign forces” – likely to be a reference to Tehran’s activities in the region.

“This is not about actually the situation in Israel and Gaza,” Mr Sunak said. “This is about malign forces and the Houthis in particular taking advantage of the situation to try and escalate it.

“And that is having a real impact on the global economy and we are playing our part as part of a broader international coalition.”

Downing Street said the deployment would send a clear message to Tehran about Iranian efforts to undermine security in the Middle East.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “These are Iran-backed rebels and we know that Iran is actively seeking to undermine stability in the region.

“We are clear-eyed about that and that’s why we are acting alongside our allies to provide the necessary deterrence to protect commercial shipping.”

Downing Street also called on China to support efforts to protect shipping in the region, saying it was “in everyone’s interests” to protect trade routes.

The deteriorating security situation in the southern Red Sea has led oil giant BP and major shipping operator Maersk to pause sailing through the region, increasing costs and journey times and potentially pushing up fuel prices.

The US has claimed the Houthis have conducted over 100 attacks using kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles, targeting 10 merchant vessels involving more than 35 different nations in recent weeks.

Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, said: “These illegal attacks are an unacceptable threat to the global economy, undermining regional security,

and are threatening to drive up fuel prices.

“This is an international problem that requires an international solution. That is why HMS Diamond has joined Operation Prosperity Guardian.

“This new task force will protect shipping and vital trade routes in the Red Sea, where large amounts of goods and oil transit through to Europe and on to the UK.

“Our Royal Navy personnel are protecting British interests in an increasingly contested part of the world.

“Their valuable contribution to upholding peace and security should not be underestimated and we thank them for their service, especially during this festive period.”

On Tuesday morning, Mr Shapps joined a virtual meeting with dozens of counterparts to discuss the situation in the Red Sea at which ministers agreed to work together on an international solution.

HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer with a crew of about 190, will operate alongside allied vessels to protect shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb.

The ship shot down a suspected attack drone on Saturday.

Commander Pete Evans, captain of HMS Diamond, said: “The Royal Navy has always been committed to the protection of maritime trade and ensuring that both people and shipping remain safe in international waters.

“HMS Diamond and her ship’s company stand ready to work alongside our allies to protect peace and security.”

Operation Prosperity Guardian was announced by US defence secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday and includes contributions from Bahrain, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the Seychelles, alongside the warships from the UK, US and France.

The task force forms part of the existing international Coalition Maritime Force, which is based in the Middle East and includes the Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster, three mine-hunting vessels: HMS Bangor, HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Middleton; and the support ship RFA Cardigan Bay.