Royal Danish Navy frigate shoots down Houthi drones targeting Red Sea shipping

Undated photograph showing the Royal Danish Navy air defence frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt (Photo: Danish Ministry of Defence)

The Danish Ministry of Defence has confirmed that a Royal Danish Navy frigate successfully shot down four unmanned aerial vehicles launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group against commercial and coalition naval ships in the southern Red Sea on Saturday, March 9.

The air defence frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt had just resumed its patrol mission in the Red Sea following a brief port stay in Safaga in Egypt when it was tasked to intercept a drone that was launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen at around 04:00 local time on Saturday.

Commander Sune Lund, Iver Huitfeldt‘s captain, said the drone was confirmed as hostile and subsequently engaged and destroyed.

Another three drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas were identified and destroyed. The frigate shot down all four hostile drones within the span of one hour.

The defence ministry said this latest drone attack was part of a larger coordinated campaign against coalition ships and civilian vessels.

Iver Huitfeldt has since resumed its regular patrolling of its area of responsibility within the southern Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian.


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