The British Navy announces that it shot down a missile fired by the Houthis towards a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden.

On Thursday, the British Ministry of Defense said that the “Diamond” warship, which is currently patrolling the waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden “to ensure freedom of navigation,” used a “Sea Viper” missile to shoot down the missile.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps explained: “The United Kingdom remains at the forefront of the international response to the dangerous attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis on commercial ships, which have claimed the lives of international sailors.”

Shapps added: “I would like to thank the brave crew of the Diamond ship for their vital role in saving innocent lives and protecting international shipping from the Houthis’ illegal attacks.”

For months, the Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen's coast overlooking the Red Sea, have launched dozens of attacks with missiles and marches against commercial ships, in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is waging a war against Hamas.

The Houthis initially announced targeting ships linked to Israel, but they expanded their targets to include ships linked to the United States and Britain, after strikes carried out by the two countries against their positions in Yemen.

The Houthi attacks have increased insurance costs for ships crossing the Red Sea, and prompted many shipping companies to prefer the much longer corridor around the southern tip of the African continent.

Last December, Washington, Israel's main ally, formed a multinational coalition to "protect" maritime traffic, without success in stopping the attacks.