Russia has been helping Iran-backed Houthi rebels target British and Western ships in the Red Sea, defence officials believe.

Houthi militants in Yemen have reportedly been using Russian satellite data as they increase drone and missile strikes on commercial vessels in response to the war in Gaza.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the data used to track ships was handed over through Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who were embedded with the Houthis.

The report indicates the Kremlin directly supported the militant group in its mission to disrupt one of the world’s biggest shipping lanes and marks a major escalation in Moscow’s involvement in fuelling instability in the region.

Since November last year, the Houthis have been targeting commercial vessels and military warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, saying they are acting in solidarity with Gaza.