UK warns against permanent closure of Red Sea, hints at further strikes on Houthis

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) – Britain’s defense secretary on Monday stressed that the UK will not tolerate the permanent closure of the Red Sea to commercial shipping, leaving open the possibility of additional military actions against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Grant Shapps said on Monday that the recent US-led airstrikes against the Houthis were intended as a one-off measure to halt their attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

"What I can tell you is, overall, we've made the point very clearly that although this was a distinct piece of precisely targeted military action, we will not put up with a major shipping lane being closed on a permanent basis," he said in a speech at Lancaster House in central London.

He indicated that the US, UK, and their international partners would carefully assess the actions of the rebels and evaluate whether further military interventions are necessary.

Shapps stressed the importance of scrutinizing the connections between Iran and the Houthis, monitoring shipments, and gathering intelligence to prevent any threats to major waterways and shipping lanes.

- 'Age of idealism replaced by period of hard-headed realism'

Presenting his vision for the UK's military forces after just over four months in office, Shapps said Britain's participation in the recent strikes in Yemen underscored the growing instability in the world.

"We’ve come full circle, moving from a postwar to prewar world," Shapps stated. "An age of idealism is being replaced by a period of hard-headed realism."

"We find ourselves at the dawn of this new era – the Berlin Wall a distant memory – and we’ve come full circle, moving from a post-war to pre-war world," he added.

In response to the evolving global challenges, Shapps emphasized the need for increased financial support for the military.

Shapps called on NATO members to ramp up their defense spending to at least 2% of their GDP, emphasizing the critical need for robust military capabilities in the face of an evolving geopolitical landscape.

- Shapps warns of further wars with Russia, China, and Iran in next 5 years

He warned that the foundations of the rules-based international order are being "shaken to the core," with recent conflicts in the Mideast and Ukraine foreshadowing what lies ahead.

He also urged the nation to brace itself for potential conflicts involving major global players such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea within the next five years.

He highlighted the growing likelihood of confrontations between several hostile states and the West, citing Russia's military presence in Ukraine, North Korea supplying missiles to Moscow, Iran engaging in hostilities through proxy forces, and China closely monitoring Western responses following the Taiwan elections.

Shapps emphasized that the era of the "peace dividend" that followed the end of the Cold War is now over, signaling a period of increased global tensions and potential conflicts.

"In five year’s time, we could be looking at multiple theatres including Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea … Ask yourself, looking at today’s conflicts across the world, is it more likely that that number grows or reduces? I suspect we all know the answer. It’s likely to grow, so 2024 must mark an inflection point,” he said.