British PM briefing Cabinet on possible UK US strikes against Houthis: Reports

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is slated to brief his cabinet on potential British and U.S. strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels amid the group’s continued attacks in the Red Sea, according to BBC News Sunak is expected to hold a conference call with the cabinet on Thursday night and other senior government officials are expected to be briefed afterward.

Those officials include UK Labour Leader Sir Kerr Starmer and Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, according to BBC. Pentagon spokesperson Brig Gen Pat Ryder on Thursday declined to comment on the reports. “I’m not going to telegraph, forecast or speculate on any potential future operations,” Ryder during a press conference on Thursday.

The Hill reached out to the National Security Council and Pentagon for further comment. Earlier Thursday, Houthis fired a missile into commercial shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden, the U.S. Central Command (US CENTCOM) This is the 27th Houthi attack on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea since Nov.

19, US CENTCOM added. Houthi rebels have vowed to continue their assaults unless Israel stops its bombardment of Gaza in its war with militant group Hamas. Some attacks have hit vessels with no clear ties to Israel, prompting widespread criticism from international leaders and major shipping companies that are now forced to detour their shipping routes.

It came two days after the rebel group yet on Tuesday night, firing a barrage of rockets and missiles at U.S. and U.K. forces in the Red Sea. The Houthis claimed they were targeting an American ship providing support to Israel. The Biden administration has spoken out against the Houthi attacks, calling them “unlawful,” “reckless” and “escalatory.” “These attacks against vessels in the Red Sea pose a direct threat to the lives, to freedom of navigation, and to global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby “And despite what the Houthis may say, they are threatening and targeting commercial vessels with ties to countries all over the world, many of which have no connection to Israel whatsoever.

“ The U.N. Security Council Wednesday, sponsored by the United States and Japan, that demands the Houthis halt their attacks in the Red Sea. The resolution was approved by a vote of 11 9 and condemned “in the strongest terms” at least two dozen Houthi attacks. The attacks are impacting global commerce and violating navigational freedom, according to the resolution.

A U.S. led operation — dubbed “Operation Prosperity Guardian” — began last month to try to deter the attacks. Kirby on Wednesday said the Houthis’ attacks earlier this week demonstrated “the need of those military capabilities.”.