Video footage has emerged ostensibly showing the downing of a menacing drone by a Hellenic Navy frigate (HN Psara) in the Gulf of Aden over the weekend.
According to military sources in Athens on Monday, the same warship shot down two such drones, believed to have been launched and operated by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels operating in Yemen.
The Greek frigate is participating in the EU’s EUNAVFOR ASPIDES mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from such attacks.
The frigate reportedly used its new anti-drone system for the first time, along with its main naval gun, against four malicious UAVs flying in the specific region. Two of the four drones were hit, the other two fled.
The video footage was posted by the Royal Netherlands Navy, as the rotating commander of the Aspides mission on the sea is currently a Dutch officer. An announcement issued by the RNA said the HN Psara was notified about the threat of the drones from a Dutch warship.
Both an EU-led mission and a separate US-led operation field warships and aircraft in maritime regions around Yemen to thwart attacks on commercial vessels heading to and from the Suez Canal. Houthi rebels have claimed that the attacks are due to western support for Israel, in the wake of Hamas attack against the latter last October.
HS Psara 🇬🇷 heeft afgelopen nacht een drone-aanval van de Houthi’s afgewend tijdens het begeleiden van een vrachtschip door de Golf van Aden in het kader van @EUNAVFORASPIDES. https://t.co/JJ5CCX3Kc5. Karel Doorman waarschuwde voor de naderende dreiging 👉 https://t.co/28EBe7l4l5 pic.twitter.com/oNXT2SU6HU
— Koninklijke Marine (@kon_marine) July 8, 2024