During the early hours of Saturday, forces from the United Kingdom, United States, and France intercepted and neutralised 28 Houthi drones flying over the Red Sea.
The US Central Command reported responding to a “large-scale” assault, with coalition vessels and aircraft successfully neutralising at least 28 drones to thwart the attack.
UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps disclosed that the Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond engaged two drones with Sea Ceptor missiles during the incident.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) verified that the Type 23 frigate, supported by international allies, successfully repelled the assault, with no casualties or damage reported.
Since November, the Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, allegedly in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Mr. Shapps affirmed, “The UK and our allies remain committed to taking necessary measures to protect lives and ensure freedom of navigation.”
Additionally, he shared footage of the drone interceptions on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) praised the crew of Richmond for their “exemplary manner” during the incident, affirming that the UK remains steadfast in its commitment to taking decisive action to safeguard innocent lives and the global economy.
Additionally, a French warship and fighter jets successfully intercepted four combat drones approaching naval vessels from the European Aspides mission in the region, as stated by the French army.
“This defensive action directly contributed to the protection of the cargo ship True Confidence, under the Barbados flag, which was struck on March 6 and is being towed, as well as other commercial vessels transiting in the area,” it stated.
France has a warship deployed in the region, complemented by warplanes stationed at its bases in Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates.
Tragically, on Wednesday, three seafarers were killed in a missile strike by the Houthis on the Greek-operated True Confidence.
This marks the first instance of civilian casualties since the group began its attacks on the vital shipping route.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also verified an attempted attack on the Singapore-flagged Propel Fortune.
According to the shipping company’s report, two explosions occurred in close proximity to the bulk carrier. However, all crew members remained unharmed, and the vessel continued its journey to its next port of call.
UKMTO stated, “Propel Fortune was likely targeted due to outdated US ownership data,” according to sources.
As a consequence of Houthi attacks, cargo ships have been compelled to divert their routes, leading to an additional 3,500 nautical miles of travel around Africa.
This diversion incurs an estimated extra cost of $2 million (£1.6 million) in fuel and transit expenses per trip.
Numerous merchant vessels targeted have had minimal or no connection to Israel.
In an effort to ensure the safe passage of vessels in the Red Sea, the US and UK have conducted joint airstrikes on the militant group’s facilities in Yemen, including radar sites, throughout the year.
The Yemeni government, recognized internationally, has previously denounced the rebels for “initiating conflict within the country.”
In an official statement issued through Yemen’s news agency, the government accused the rebels of “fabricating conflict for propaganda purposes.”
Furthermore, it urged for the reinstatement of legitimate state institutions in Yemen to ensure security in the Red Sea region.
According to the US Central Command, American and coalition forces responded to the “imminent threat” posed by a “large-scale unmanned aerial vehicle” attack on merchant vessels.
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