Decision to send more Royal Navy ships to Red Sea 'based on reality on the ground'

The Defence Secretary says he will make a judgement "based on the reality on the ground" over whether or not to send more Royal Navy ships to the Red Sea.

Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond is among the vessels on Operation Prosperity Guardian – an international task force to protect merchant shipping in the region amid attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels and maintained a near-constant presence in a high-threat area of the Red Sea.

Richmond took over duties from HMS Diamond, who successfully destroyed nine rebel drones using her Sea Viper missile system during her deployment.

• HMS Diamond displays kill markings after shooting down nine Houthi drones in Red Sea
• HMS Richmond takes over from Diamond to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthis
• UK could deploy carrier to plug gap in Red Sea defences, says Armed Forces Minister

Mr Shapps, who visited HMS Diamond in January, told the Commons on Monday: "I said that we would always look at what's happening… in the Red Sea. I have been there to see, to meet the crews myself, and will make a judgement based on the reality on the ground.

"We do know, and we welcome now the input from a conglomeration of EU countries who are coming to join Prosperity Guardian as well."

At the end of January, Armed Forces Minister James Heappey suggested the UK could deploy an aircraft carrier to the Red Sea as the threat from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels continues.

Mr Heappey said sending a Royal Navy carrier to the region would help "plug a gap in US deployments" when the USS Dwight D Eisenhower returns to the United States.

The Royal Air Force has also carried out joint air strikes with US forces on Houthi targets in Yemen.