A Royal Navy warship has shot down a suspected attack drone in the Red Sea, the Defence Secretary has said.
Grant Shapps said it was believed merchant shipping in the Red Sea was the intended target, in the latest such incident in the key global shipping route.
The Red Sea lies between north Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and connects the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal.
“One Sea Viper missile fired and successfully destroyed the target”, Mr Shapps said in a statement.
The recent spate of illegal attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security in the Red Sea
“The ship recently arrived in the region to bolster international efforts to maintain maritime security.
“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 this month the US military said the Bahamas-flagged Unity Explorer, owned by a UK company, was among three commercial vessels targeted in an attack by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
On Friday Maersk, the world’s biggest shipping company, told all its vessels planning to pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea to “pause their journey until further notice” after a missile attack on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship.
