UK and US weigh air strikes on missile launch sites in Yemen as Houthi rebels attack Red Sea ships

Britain and America are considering ordering air strikes on missile launch sites in Yemen, as the Houthi rebels threaten to escalate their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.

This week the US announced a new maritime task force of ten nations to counter the wave of attacks by Houthi drones, missiles and command squads on shipping in the Red Sea and the waters south of the Bab al Mandeb narrows. The American-led force for Operation Protective Guardian has been joined the Navy’s Type 45 Destroyer HMS Diamond, which shot down a drone attack earlier this week.

At the weekend the US Navy reported shooting down 14 Houthi attack drones in one wave. Some of the Iranian designed drones would cost $2,000 – whereas the missiles used to counter them cost about two million dollars.