National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with UK Secretary for Defense Grant Shapps on Wednesday, per a White House readout, focusing on preventing regional escalation in the Middle East.
During their closed-doors meeting, they spoke about the US-UK cooperation on a variety of issues, including ongoing efforts to defend against Iranian-backed Houthi attacks targeting merchant and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea.
The UK’s Ministry of Defense stated that the Houthis have conducted more than 30 attacks on international shipping since mid-November.
NSA Sullivan and Shapps also reviewed their support for Israel as it defends itself against Hamas and efforts to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including increasing deliveries of life-saving humanitarian aid.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) recently had funding withdrawn from multiple countries, including the U.S. and UK, after reports emerged that staff members were involved in the October 7 attacks in Hamas.
