LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is holding a call with his cabinet about a possible response to attacks by Yemen's Houthi militants on Red Sea shipping, British media reported on Thursday.

       The cabinet call had been scheduled for 1945 GMT on Thursday, the Times newspaper reported, adding that Britain and the United States were preparing to launch military strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthis.

       The British government also held a meeting of the national security council earlier on Thursday, the Times added.

       Sunak's Downing Street office did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment.

       Sky News reported that Keir Starmer, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, would be briefed by the government following the virtual cabinet meeting.

       Separately, Downing Street said Sunak had spoken to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi earlier on Thursday and the two leaders had discussed the rise in Houthi attacks and its disruptive impact on shipping.

       "The Prime Minister said the UK would continue to take action to defend freedom of navigation and protect lives at sea," Downing Street said in a readout of the call.

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       (Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by Jonathan Oatis)