Infrared footage has captured the moment a Greek warship shot down an attack drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Gulf of Aden over the weekend.
Video released on Monday by the Defense Ministry of the Netherlands showed the unmanned aerial vehicle flying near the surface of the water before it disintegrated in an explosion—the result of autocannon fire from the Greek navy frigate HS Psara.
The engagement was recorded by the Dutch navy support ship HNLMS Karel Doorman, which is among the EU combat vessels deployed to the region as part of Operation Aspides, the bloc's contribution to commercial shipping protection in the restive region.
The Psara, Greece's 3,350-ton Hydra-class frigate, repelled two Houthi drones Sunday while escorting a cargo ship through the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast, the Dutch Defense Ministry said.
It said the crew of the Karel Doorman alerted the Greek ship of the approaching aerial threat and was on standby "to provide medical support if necessary." However, no injuries or material damage were reported.
Greece's Kathimerini daily newspaper reported on Sunday that the Psara disabled the first UAV with the Centaur indigenously developed anti-drone system. The second Houthi uncrewed aircraft was hit by the frigate's naval gun, in what was the ship's first combat since its deployment to the Red Sea last month.
"This attack shows that it is still very unsafe for shipping in this region. With the deployment of the units of EU countries, we are able to protect shipping and maintain free passage," said Dutch Navy Commander George Pastoor, EU force commander for Aspides, who was visiting the Psara at the time of the incident.
Houthis use drones for "reconnaissance and attacks on military bases, critical infrastructure and shipping in the region," the Dutch Defense Ministry said. "The drones are difficult to detect and intercept. As a result, Houthis are able to inflict significant damage with limited resources."
There have been nearly 70 reported attacks by the Houthis since the group declared war on Israel in solidarity with the pro-Palestinian Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip.
A database maintained by the maritime intelligence company Lloyd's List has tracked hijackings as well as missile and drone strikes targeting vessels including cargo ships, gas tankers, vehicle carriers, and naval warships since December.
The Iran-backed fighters aim to choke off Israel's maritime supply lines in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—only 18 miles wide at its narrowest point—through which 10 percent of the world's oil trade by sea and an estimated $1 trillion in goods pass annually.
In June, the Greek-owned Tutor coal carrier sank in the Red Sea after Houthis struck it with missiles and a suspected explosive-laden uncrewed surface vessel.
In December, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian with allies and partners and later ordered warships to the southern Red Sea.
A week later, helicopters launched from the Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower engaged in the U.S.'s first known deadly attack of the campaign when they returned fire and sank three Houthi attack boats.
The Eisenhower left the Red Sea in June and is due to be replaced by the USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group, which is racing to the region.
A fleet tracker maintained by the U.S. Naval Institute's USNI News said the Roosevelt had reached the Indian Ocean by Monday.
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John Feng is Newsweek's contributing editor for Asia based in Taichung, Taiwan. His focus is on East Asian politics. He ... Read more
