For the first time since 1991, a British destroyer repelled a missile attack in the Red Sea

A British destroyer repelled a missile attack in the Red Sea/Brian Burnell, Wikipedia

The British Navy destroyer HMS Diamond shot down a missile launched by Houthis from Yemen towards the Red Sea. This is the first time a Royal Navy warship has intercepted a missile in combat since the Gulf War.

British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said the crew the destroyer managed to save innocent lives.

Details of the incident

The ship was reportedly escorting a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden. When the crew discovered the Houthi missile, they immediately destroyed it using a Sea Viper missile system.

Grant Shapps thanked the crew for their assistance in saving innocent lives and protecting shipping in the region.

The UK continues to be at the forefront of the international response to dangerous Houthi attacks on commercial shipping that have claimed the lives of international seafarers, Shapps said.

He added that this was the first time since 1991 that a British Navy warship had intercepted a missile in the Red Sea. The minister also stressed that the deployment of HMS Diamond to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is part of Britain's wider response to Houthi attacks.

HMS Diamond had previously operated in the region in December and January and came under fire in three separate attacks by Houthi forces, successfully destroying nine drones with a Sea Viper missile system and guns.

What preceded

• The Houthis control large areas of Yemen and attack ships they say are linked to Israel and the West. They claim this is their response to the war between Israel and Gaza. This has a major impact on global supply chains.
• A number of major shipping companies are diverting their routes away from the Red Sea, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
• The United States and Great Britain began conducting airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on January 11. In response, the Houthis are attacking ships linked to owners or operators in the UK or US.
• On Wednesday 24 April, the Houthis said they had attacked the US ship Maersk Yorktown and a US destroyer in the Gulf of Aden .