Britain Says Its Navy Shot Down Houthi Missile Targeting Merchant Ship

The U.K. on Thursday said its Royal Navy had shot down a missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen targeting a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden.

"The UK continues to be at the forefront of the international response to the Iranian-backed Houthis’ dangerous attacks on commercial vessels, which have claimed the lives of international mariners," British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement

The crew of the Royal Navy warship HMS Diamond used a Sea Viper missile system to shoot down the missile, the Navy said.

The Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer is currently deployed in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to deter Houthi attacks, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for merchant vessels.

This deployment is part of the U.K.’s broader response to Houthi attacks, which has also included intercepting weapon-smuggling to Yemen, imposing sanctions on Houthi members and conducting proportionate and targeted strikes against Houthi military targets.

Yemen's Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea region since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza.

In response to the attacks, which have disrupted global shipping through the Suez Canal, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, the U.S. and Britain have launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.