US and UK say growing Red Sea threat ‘must be addressed’ as container ships take U-turns

The top defence officials of the US and UK agreed that the growing threat to international shipping in the Red Sea “must be addressed” as vessel tracking data showed vessels U-turning in the region.

Major General Pat Ryder, press secretary for the Pentagon, said on Friday that US defence secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Grant Shapps, his UK counterpart, by phone.