The British Ministry of Defence has reported that a Houthi drone attacked a British military vessel in the Red Sea, but no damage or injuries occurred. In response, the UK vessel successfully shot down the drone. The Houthi group, which is backed by Iran, had previously threatened to target vessels linked to Israel in an effort to pressure the country to end its bombardment of Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into the area.
The ongoing war in Gaza has led to tensions in the Middle East, with the UK and US launching air raids on Houthi military positions in Yemen in response to the attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The US has also re-designated the Houthis as a “terrorist” organisation, after delisting them in 2021.
The Houthi group has expanded its threat to include any US and UK-linked vessels in the region. The conflict in Yemen, which began in 2014, has led to the seizure of large parts of northern Yemen by the Houthi group and a brutal air bombing campaign led by Saudi Arabia. A truce has been in place since April 2022 as talks progress between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition over a permanent ceasefire.