PM holds full Cabinet call amid speculation of strike over Red Sea attacks

Rishi Sunak held a full Cabinet call on Thursday evening amid mounting speculation that Britain and Western allies could take imminent action against Houthi rebels following attacks in the Red Sea.

Ministers discussed a response to disruption on the key global shipping route after UK and US naval forces repelled what is believed to have been the largest assault yet by the Iran-backed group.

Sir Keir Starmer and shadow defence secretary John Healey were briefed by the Government after the call, it is understood, and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was seen arriving at the Cabinet Office late on Thursday.

With the Commons having finished business for the week, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP demanded Parliament be recalled if the UK Government is preparing to take military action before Monday.

The Commons Speaker cannot recall Parliament without being asked to do so by the Government, and Mr Sunak is not expected to make such a request.

He discussed the disruption in the Red Sea with Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and promised Britain would continue to “take action to defend freedom of navigation and protect lives at sea”, No 10 said.

It comes after UK and US naval forces destroyed “multiple attack drones” deployed by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, believed to be the largest attack yet from the Yemen-based force.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has warned further action will be taken if assaults persist amid growing global concern about the disruption.

He also said he believed the Houthis, a Shiite group which has held Yemen’s capital since 2014, were acting with the support of Iran.

“Be in no doubt at all, Iran is guiding what is happening there in the Red Sea, 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,” Mr Shapps told Sky News.

“We must be clear with the Houthis that this has to stop and that is my simple message to them today, and watch this space.”

The Royal Navy air defence destroyer HMS Diamond was involved in the response to the latest in a series of attacks, which the Houthis have claimed are a response to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

Mr Shapps also posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Overnight, HMS Diamond, along with US warships, successfully repelled the largest attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date.

“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.”

It remains to be seen what form any further action might take from the US, the UK and other allies.

There has been speculation that a response could involve strikes on the Houthi command centres.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters on Wednesday: “I am not going to speculate about how we will or will not respond to continued attacks.

“We do reserve the right to take further steps to protect commercial shipping and avoid the risk of further destabilising the region. That is something we will keep under review.”

US secretary of state Antony Blinken, speaking in Bahrain, renewed warnings of a response.

He said: “I’m not going to telegraph or preview anything that might happen.

“All I can tell you again, we’ve made clear – we’ve been clear with more than 20 other countries – that if this continues, as it did yesterday, there will be consequences. And I’m going to leave it at that.”

Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman Layla Moran said a vote in Parliament would be “vital” if Britain is poised to launch an attack, while Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf said MPs must be given the chance to debate and scrutinise such a move.

Some major shipping lines and oil giant BP have already diverted vessels around southern Africa, adding time and costs to journeys, rather than risk the Red Sea.

If the crisis continues, the increased costs could be passed on to consumers, hampering efforts to curb inflation and reduce interest rates.

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said he is monitoring the situation closely.

US Central Command said the Houthis had launched a “complex attack”, and a total of 18 attack drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles and an anti-ship ballistic missile were shot down in the operation which involved Diamond, US warships and F/A-18 fighter jets.

It said the attack was the 26th Houthi attack on the Red Sea shipping lanes since November 19.