UK warship intercepts and neutralizes Houthi drone in the Red Sea

A Houthi drone attacking a ship in the Red Sea was shot down by a British warship, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The incident, which occurred on Saturday, resulted in no injuries or damage. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have been targeting ships they believe to be associated with Israel and Western countries traveling through the Red Sea trade route. In response to the attacks, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps emphasized that the UK remains undeterred, calling the recent strike by the Yemen-based group illegal. The MoD described these actions as unacceptable and illegal, stating that protecting the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea is their responsibility. This marks the third such incident involving HMS Diamond since December. In another event, the Marlin Luanda, a British-linked oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, was set ablaze for several hours after being hit with a Houthi missile on Friday. The group claimed they targeted the vessel in response to American and British aggression against their country. However, thanks to assistance from French, Indian, and US naval ships, the fire was extinguished with no crew members harmed. This attack on the Marlin Luanda occurred shortly after the US and the UK launched additional airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The Houthis have been targeting foreign ships in the region since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict, expressing their support for Hamas and their intentions to attack vessels traveling to Israel.