LONDON — A Royal Navy warship has shot down a suspected assault drone focusing on business ships within the Pink Sea, Britain’s protection secretary mentioned Saturday.

Grant Shapps mentioned that HMS Diamond fired a Sea Viper missile and destroyed a drone that was “focusing on service provider transport.” The in a single day motion is the primary time the Royal Navy has shot down an aerial goal in anger for the reason that 1991 Gulf Conflict.

Shapps mentioned assaults on business ships within the world commerce artery by Yemen’s Houthi rebels “symbolize a direct menace to worldwide commerce and maritime safety.”

“The U.Ok. stays dedicated to repelling these assaults to guard the free circulation of worldwide commerce,” he mentioned in a press release.

World transport has turn out to be a goal through the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which just like the Houthis is backed by Iran. The Houthis have launched a collection of assaults on vessels within the Pink Sea, in addition to launching drones and missiles focusing on Israel.

Houthi rebels mentioned they fired a barrage of drones Saturday towards the port metropolis of Eilat in southern Israel. The announcement got here hours after Egypt’s state-run media reported that Egyptian air protection had shot down a “flying object” off the Egyptian resort city of Dahab on the Pink Sea.

PHOTOS: Britain says a Royal Navy ship has shot down an assault drone over the Pink Sea

Earlier this month, three business ships within the Pink Sea have been struck by ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen, and a U.S. warship shot down three drones through the assault, the U.S. navy mentioned.

On Friday Maersk, the world’s largest transport firm, instructed all its vessels planning to go by means of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait within the Pink Sea to “pause their journey till additional discover” after a missile assault on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship.

HMS Diamond was despatched to the area two weeks in the past as a deterrent, becoming a member of vessels from the U.S., France and different nations. ___