Several maritime transport giants have reduced or suspended the passages of their merchant ships in the area, facing the increase in attacks carried out by the Houthi rebels.
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New spark in the Red Sea. The British destroyer HMS Diamond shot down a “suspected attack drone that targeted merchant shipping in the Red Sea” on the night of Friday December 15 to Saturday December 16, announced on (ex-Twitter) United Kingdom Defense Minister Grant Shapps. During this new alleged attack, “a Sea Viper missile was fired and destroyed the target”said Grant Shapps.
“The recent wave of illegal attacks poses a direct threat to international trade and maritime security” in the area, alerted the minister. The United Kingdom announced at the end of November the sending of the warship HMS Diamond in the Gulf to respond to “growing concerns” on the security of maritime trade routes in the area.
Several missiles and drones shot down
Tensions are increasing in the Red Sea under the threat of Yemeni Houthi rebels, close to Hamas and Iran, and who control a large part of Yemen. The Houthis have warned that they will target ships sailing off the coast of Yemen and with links to Israel, in response to the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
In recent weeks, several missiles and drones have been shot down by American and French warships patrolling the area. Danish shipping giant Maersk on Friday ordered its ships to stop using the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait “until further notice” after new attacks.
