British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea

A British warship has shot down seven drones in the "largest Houthi attack to date" in the Red Sea. 

Iranian-backed Houthi rebel fighters in Yemen deployed drones headed for HMS Diamond as well as commercial vessels on Tuesday night, said UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. A joint UK-US operation shot down at least 21 of the Iranian-produced, bomb-carrying drones and missiles. 

It was "the largest attack yet" in a spate of Houthi violence targeting ships in the Red Sea, said Shapps. He warned of a response from UK and its allies if the group continued its "illegal attacks". "We will take the action needed to protect innocent lives and the global economy," he said, adding that he had "no doubt" that Iranians were "heavily behind" the strikes.

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The "complex" Houthi attack, which caused no reported injuries or damage, is the 26th in the Red Sea since November, said The Independent. The group initially began "targeting ships bound for Israel" in retaliation for its war on Hamas in Gaza, before "quickly extending their attacks to all ships in the area". 

The most recent strike has put "the entire Middle East on its toes", said Metro and comes before a scheduled UN security council vote, which may "condemn and demand an immediate halt" to the attacks on commercial and shipping vessels, added Sky News. The US is leading a coalition of nations patrolling the area to prevent disruption to global trade and supply lines. 

Recent attacks have "forced shipping companies to divert traffic" from the Red Sea, said The Times, which carries an estimated $1 trillion in goods every year. They have increased the "rebel group's standing in the region", but pressure is increasing from a number of Arab governments who "support retaliation against the Houthis", including Saudi Arabia, which has been in conflict with the militia since 2015.