British warship strikes down suspected attack drone in Red Sea

One of Britain's warships has shot down a suspected attack drone in the middle of the Red Sea.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that Royal Navy officers had struck the drone, adding that he believed that merchant ships in the narrow sea were the intended target. The Ministry of Defence, however, has not said who was behind the attack.

This is the first time in decades that the Royal Navy has deliberately shot a target from the air in anger, with the last time this happened being in the First Gulf War some 32 years ago in 1991.

The Red Sea is a strategic body of water separating Africa from the Middle East. Stretching from the Suez Canal in Egypt to the Gulf of Aden along the Yemeni coast, the water is an important channel for the transport of goods, whilst connecting the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean.

Britain's warships are not the only ones shooting down drones, however, as American intelligence revealed it had taken down a total of fourteen different drones in the Red Sea.

The incident comes as the HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer ship stations itself in the waterway.

The ship, which is usually run by around 200 people, was only just sent to the region some two weeks ago amid growing concerns for the security of the shipping industry.

Mr Shapps went on to say that a missile was fired at the target directly and successfully brought the drone down.

He continued in a statement: "The recent spate of illegal attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security in the Red Sea. The UK remains committed to repelling these attacks to protect the free flow of global trade."

Earlier in the month, it was revealed by the American military that a Bahamian ship Unity Explorer, owned and sailed by a UK company, was one of three commercial boats to be held up by Yemeni Houthi rebels.

The Houthis, who are supported by regional power Iran, are currently in the grip of a devastating civil war in Yemeni with state-backed forces.

The instability in the region, made worse by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has prompted the world's largest shipping company Maersk to halt their journeys through the sea.

Problems were only exacerbated when Maersk told its vessels in the area to stop "until further notice" after a cargo ship from the African nation of Liberia was attacked by the rebels.

Senior Royal Navy officer, First Sea Lord Sir Ben Key insisted the ship's presence in the area was to restore order.

"One sixth of the world's commercial shipping passes through the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait and Red Sea," he said. "HMS Diamond deployed at short notice to the region from Portsmouth just two weeks ago and is already delivering effect together with our American, French and other allies and partners.

"The Royal Navy is committed to upholding the right to free use of the oceans and we do not tolerate indiscriminate threats or attacks against those going about their lawful business on the high seas."

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