Potential for regional escalation has never been greater

UK ups ante

The UK government, in particular, has been particularly forthright in denouncing the Houthis' actions, which are having a profound impact on global shipping routes in the region.

Grant Shapps, the UK defence secretary, warned that Britain would "not hesitate to take necessary and proportionate action" against the Houthis, which form part of Tehran's so-called axis of resistance.

UK defence officials have been in discussions with their American counterparts to weigh up the military options available for dealing with the threat posed to global shipping by the Houthis.

This could include the deployment of British warplanes and Royal Navy ships to operate alongside the US military and other allies to target Houthi positions on land or at sea.

One possibility under consideration would be to conduct air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, although officials fear this could lead to an escalation in the conflict.

Another option would be to use more covert methods, such as deploying special forces that could disable the engines of the Houthi fast boats or explosives used to sink them while they were in harbour.

There have already been reports in the UK media that special forces have been used to destroy Houthi vessels being used to attack global shipping.

The hardening of the UK's position on the Houthi issue comes at the same time as the statement issued by 12 nations warned that there had been a "significant escalation" in attacks over the past week with commercial vessels targeted with missiles and attempted hijackings.

"Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews," said the statement, issued by the US with Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

"The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and the free flow of commerce in the region's critical waterways," it added.

Dwindling patience

The US, which significantly increased its naval presence in the region in the wake of the 7 October attacks, has so far been at the forefront of attempts to thwart Houthi attacks on international shipping. Britain and French warships have also been in action intercepting Houthi missiles and fast boats.

In Washington, a senior administration official warned that, while the US had acted "defensively" to date, patience was wearing thin with the Houthi tactics. "I would not anticipate another warning," he said.

"We will act very forcefully when it comes to any threat to our people or our interests," highlighting the recent US air strikes on Iranian-backed militants in Iraq as a potential model for retaliation against the Houthis. There was "an awful lot of steel now in the water" off the coast of Yemen, he added, which served as a deterrent to the militants.

Responding to the significant uplift in the West's naval presence in the region, Iran, which is believed to be supplying the Houthis with the drone and missile technology used to attack international shipping, has dispatched a naval frigate to the Red Sea, raising the prospect of a direct confrontation between Tehran and the West.

International efforts to protect shipping in the region have been increased to avoid further disruption to global trade routes.

The 30 km wide Bab-el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea is a key access point for the Suez Canal, which handles about 12% of global trade. The route provides a vital passage for oil shipments from the Gulf to Europe and North America.

Several major international shipping companies have either suspended operations in the Red Sea region or have instead rerouted their cargoes to take the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, which adds about 3,000-3,500 nautical miles (6,000km) to journeys connecting Europe with Asia, adding about ten days to the duration of the voyage.

There are growing concerns that lengthier shipping times could fuel global inflation, as redirecting ships adds up to $1mn in extra fuel for every round trip between Asia and Europe, while insurance costs are also rising.

Attacks further afield

The deepening tensions in the Red Sea, moreover, come against a backdrop of attacks taking place elsewhere in the region that also have the potential to provoke a wider escalation of the Gaza crisis.

The bombing of a ceremony marking the anniversary of the assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, in the central city of Kerman this week prompted a furious response from the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who blamed "evil and criminal enemies" of the regime for the attack in which at least 95 people died, and more than 200 were injured.

"This disaster will have a harsh response, God willing," Khamenei declared.

Meanwhile, the drone strike that killed Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of Hamas, in the Hezbollah-controlled area of southern Beirut, prompted Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah to warn that the attack — believed to have been carried out by Israel — "will not go unpunished."

With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning that the war in Gaza is set to continue for many more months to come, the potential for the Gaza conflict to escalate into a wider Middle East war has never been greater.