The British Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales could be threatened by the Houthi militants using drones en-route to a major deployment, a British report says, according to an article published by The Times.
The Times report added that The Portsmouth-based aircraft carrier will be taking charge of the UK Carrier Strike Group for planned exercises and diplomatic visits.
To reach the Far East, the 65,000 Royal Navy carrier would have to sail through the Suez Canal and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen.
The Times reports mentioned that the Royal Navy have been deploying to the area for more than a year, with Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond heading much of the operations - as well as HMS Richmond. Sailors had to shoot various attack drones using her Sea Viper missile system and guns.
The Times report expected that HMS Prince of Wales could be a target while travelling through the Bab-el-Mandeb, which they describe as a chokepoint where Houthi attacks on British and American vessels have taken place.
HMS Prince of Wales will be joined by a Type 45 destroyer, a Norwegian frigate and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships - with F-35B fighter jets and allied aircraft being housed on the flight deck.
Despite this, the area still poses some dangers, according to analysis The International Institute for Strategic Studies Think Tank (IISS).
They said in its research paper titled Navigating Troubled Waters: The Houthis’ Campaign in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that shipping in the area has not returned to pre-militant levels and persistent attacks have continued - maintaining the area’s danger.
The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) responded and said the UK was fully prepared to defend itself and Nato allies. They added that the UK would continue to defend its interests and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.