British Defense Minister Grant Shapps announced on Wednesday that the British and U.S. armies, operating in the Red Sea, successfully repelled the "largest attack" by Houthi terrorists in Yemen to date, in the past few hours.
Overnight, HMS Diamond, along with US warships, successfully repelled the largest attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date. Deploying Sea Viper missiles and cannons, the Diamond destroyed multiple attack drones headed toward it and commercial shipping in the area, with no injuries or damage to the Diamond or its crew.
HMS DIAMOND, along with US warships, has repelled the largest attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date.
Destroying multiple attack drones with her guns and sea viper missiles. pic.twitter.com/kFjFKj6TM6
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 10, 2024
The British Secretary of State noted that "these illegal attacks are unacceptable" and issued a warning to the Houthis "if they continue, they will bear the consequences." In this sense, Grant Shapps assured that "we will take the necessary measures to protect innocent lives and the global economy."
The Houthis, fighters of the Iran-backed terrorist group, claim that with these attacks they aim to end the air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip following the October 7 massacre by Hamas in Israel. After increasing conflict in the area, a coalition of nations led by the United States patrol the Red Sea to try to prevent attacks.
The incident began on Tuesday night, when the Houthis launched "Iranian-designed one-way attack drones, anti-ship cruise missiles and an anti-ship ballistic missile," according to Centcom Central Command on social media. According to Centcom, the weapons were launched from areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthis.
Houthi Attack on International Shipping
On Jan. 9, at approximately 9:15 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs (OWA UAVs), anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled… pic.twitter.com/KWPRidwiWI
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 10, 2024
The Houthi missiles and drones were targeting an area through which dozens of merchant ships were transiting, Centcom said when reporting the attack. In this sense, the attack repelled this Tuesday night is the twenty-sixth attack by the Houthis against commercial maritime routes since November 19.
