The UK is planning to deploy an aircraft carrier to the Red Sea as a response to the increasing drone and missile threats from the Houthi rebels.
This move comes as the Royal Navy prepares to take over from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, which is set to return to the US, amid warnings from the Houthis of sustained conflict in a critical maritime corridor.
James Heappey, the UK’s armed forces minister, mentioned the possibility of collaborating with the US to fill a security void in the region.
The Royal Navy has two carriers capable of deploying F-35 jets, with HMS Prince of Wales potentially facing its first combat mission, while HMS Queen Elizabeth has been deployed in combat previously.
Houthi commander Mohamed al-Atifi has declared readiness for a prolonged battle over the Red Sea, a vital area that has seen numerous attacks by the group on shipping since November, disrupting global trade routes.
In response, the UK and US have conducted joint airstrikes against Houthi targets using US jets from the USS Eisenhower and British Typhoons from a base in Cyprus.
However, Heappey said the US carrier, nicknamed “Ike”, must soon return to the US. “The Eisenhower can’t stay there forever, and so there’s a thing about just maintaining a carrier presence in the region where we might cooperate with the Americans to provide a capability there,” he told The House magazine.
