UK Warship Shoots Down Houthi Drone Attack: No Injuries Or Damage Reported

The Houthi rebel drone strike was successfully repelled by the UK warship, HMS Diamond, of the Royal Navy. The drone was shot down by the vessel’s Sea Viper missile system when it was determined that it was intentionally attacking the ship. The vessel incurred no damage, and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed this.

The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group with Iranian support, are alleged to have targeted foreign and British warships in the Red Sea. The UK government, represented by Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, declared its commitment to preserving the freedom of navigation in the area and denounced the attacks as unacceptable and unlawful.

The attack that occurred earlier in the month is thought to have sparked combined US-UK airstrikes on Houthi sites in Yemen, which is the reason for this most recent event. The extremists, who have expressed sympathy for Palestinians during the Gaza crisis, claim to attack ships that are associated with Israel. The US and the UK, however, dispute this claim.

Apart from the maritime attacks, another rebel attack in the Gulf of Aden resulted in the burning of the Marlin Luanda, an oil tanker associated with the British. The crew was spared injury when the fire was eventually put out with the help of US, Indian, and French naval vessels. Oceonix Services Ltd., a business registered in the UK, is in charge of managing the ship.

The US and the UK have launched several airstrikes against Houthi military positions in Yemen in retaliation for the Houthi attacks. In response, the Houthis have pledged to take brutal retaliation and have kept up their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting international trade along a vital maritime trade route.

The international community is carefully monitoring the situation and working to ease Middle East tensions. To resolve the dispute, former Foreign Secretary David Cameron suggested forming a new international organization including the US, UK, important EU members, Gulf and Arab nations, and Turkey. Notwithstanding these diplomatic attempts, there are still worries about the conflict’s possible escalation.

Reference: Aljazeera, Independent

UK Warship Shoots Down Houthi Drone Attack: No Injuries Or Damage Reported appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News