Britain announced today that the advanced missile destroyer Diamond was crossing the Suez Canal into the Persian Gulf, in a move designed to prevent an escalation of fighting in the region and ensure freedom of navigation.
British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the mission was aimed at "sending a deterrent message to Iran" and preventing escalation. "It's a response to what's happening in the region. It is critical that the UK increases its presence in the region in order to safeguard the UK and our interests in a volatile and dangerous world."
The British warship Diamond was sent to the Middle East // Photo: British Navy
The Diamond missile ship was launched in 2007 and is one of the most advanced warships of the British Navy. It has a state-of-the-art radar system that enables the operation of anti-missile missiles, in addition to cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles. The ship will join another British destroyer operating in Bahrain and several other smaller cruises. It is expected to pass through the Red Sea in the area where the Galaxy Leader was attacked and hijacked by Houthi rebels from Yemen.
It was reported yesterday that Danish shipping giant Maersk would divert cargo ships from the Red Sea area, fearing Houthi attacks on the vessel. According to the report, the company decided to divert two partially Israeli-owned ships due to "unforeseen circumstances beyond our control," according to the company.
Houthi commanders on the hijacked Japanese ship, photo: Arab networks
The Israeli shipping company ZIM also announced that it would stop sailing in the Red Sea area, which would lead to a delay of more than a month in certain shipments of the company to Israel. Less than two weeks ago, Houthi terrorists in Yemen took control of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship and took it to the port of Hodeidah on Yemen's west coast. The rebels were photographed alongside the crew and claimed that the ship was an Israeli ship, despite the fact that the vessel's connection to Israel is tenuous.
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