It is the latest in a series of attacks in the Red Sea causing major disruptions to global trade.
A UK ship shot down a Houthi drone in the Red Sea, the UK Ministry of Defense said, as tensions rise in the Middle East amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
“Yesterday, HMS Diamond successfully repelled a drone attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea,” read a ministry statement published on Sunday in X.
“Diamond destroyed a drone that was targeting her, with no injuries or damage to Diamond or her crew,” he added.
There was no immediate comment from the Houthis.
The group previously pledged to attack Israeli-linked ships in the region as part of an effort to pressure the country's government to end its bombardment of Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid supplies into the Palestinian coastal enclave.
Gaza has been under intense bombardment by Israeli forces since October 7, when Hamas fighters attacked communities in southern Israel, killing at least 1,139 people and taking another 240 captive, according to Israeli officials. Since then, at least 26,400 people in Gaza have been killed in the Israeli attack, according to Palestinian authorities in the territory.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have caused major disruptions to global trade, as the area is a key artery for maritime trade.
Some of the world's largest shipping companies have suspended operations in the region and instead sent their cargo ships on a longer route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, slowing trade between Asia and Europe.
In response to the Houthi attacks, the United Kingdom and the United States launched multiple airstrikes on Yemeni soil, saying they targeted military positions, including missile depots and launch sites.
The United States also redesignated the Houthis as a “terrorist” organization. US President Joe Biden had removed the group from the list in 2021.
The Houthis responded by expanding the threat to any ships linked to the United States and the United Kingdom in the region.
The Houthis have seized large swathes of northern Yemen since launching an offensive against the government in 2014. The war forced internationally recognized Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his cabinet to relocate to the southern port city of Aden, while unleashing a brutal aerial bombing campaign led by Saudi Arabia.
A truce has been in effect since April 2022 as talks between the Houthis and Riyadh on a permanent ceasefire progressed.
