Iran's warship "Alborz" entered the Red Sea by passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, the semi-official "Tasnim" news agency reported today (Monday).
Since 2009, Iranian warships have been operating in open waters to "secure shipping lines, fight pirates and carry out other missions." It comes as the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea for weeks, justifying their actions as support for the Palestinians amid the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel, which began on October 7 after the massacre in the south.
Houthi attacks threaten a crucial transit route responsible for up to 12% of world trade. In response, the U.S. established a multinational maritime task force this month to protect shipping in the Red Sea. On Sunday, U.S. Navy helicopters sank three Houthi-operated vessels that attacked a container ship in the Red Sea, a U.S. Central Command statement said (CENTCOM).
The Houthis, who captured Yemen's capital Sana'a in 2014 and control much of the country including its Red Sea coastline, confirmed the clash and reported 10 fighters dead or missing. Britain's defense secretary warned on Monday that London is "prepared to take direct action" against the Houthis.
"We are ready to take direct action, and we will not hesitate to take additional actions to deter threats to the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea," he wrote in the "Daily Telegraph" newspaper. The Telegraph said Britain was making plans with the US for potential military strikes against the Houthis, and reported that a joint statement giving the militants a final warning to end their attacks was imminent.