British warship HMS Diamond shoots down an attack drone launched by Iran-backed rebels in the Red Sea

A ROYAL Navy warship has shot down an attack drone launched by Iran-backed rebels in the Red Sea.

The HMS Diamond fired a Sea Viper missile to blast the kamikaze drone out of the sky.

The HMS Diamond, pictured, shot down an attack drone launched by Iran-backed rebels

It was the first time the Royal Navy has fired air defence weapons in anger for more than 30 years.

The drone was attacking a merchant vessel in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the engagement on Twitter.

He said: “HMS Diamond has shot down a suspected attack drone targeted merchant shipping in the Red Sea – destroying the target with a Sea Viper missile.

“The recent spate of illegal attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security in the Red Sea.

” The UK remains committed to repelling these attacks to protect the free flow of global trade.”

The Type 45 Destroyer was ordered to sail to the Gulf amid fears that the war in Israel could spiral into a regional conflict.

It comes after Britain sent eight warships on missions – from the Baltic to the Gulf – amid fears that Russian meddling and war in Gaza could spiral into global conflict.

In November, HMS Diamond, a guided missile destroyer, was set to steam through the Suez Canal in a show of force to Hamas-backers Iran.

The type 45 destroyer is one of the Navy’s most powerful warships,armed with dozens of Sea Viper missiles that can intercept rockets, jets, drones and intercontinental ballistic missiles up to 75 miles away.

Combined with the vessel’s Samson radar the ship can track up to 1,000 objects the size of small as a tennis ball travelling three times the speed of sound.

Its mission follows a spate of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

They hijacked a cargo ship on Nov 19 and fired missiles and drones at Israel and a US warship the USS Mason.

Grant Shapps said HMS Diamond’s main mission was to act as a “deterrent” to Iran.

He said: “Iran, under the wrong circumstances, may try to stir this all up.”

He added: “It is critical that the UK bolsters our presence in the region, to keep Britain and our interests safe.”

HMS Defender will join the frigate HMS Lancaster, three Royal Navy mine hunters and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship already in the region.

Separately, a fleet of frigates, gunboats and mine hunters, will set sail within in days to defend undersea cables in the Baltic and North Sea along with allies from UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

It is the first time the 10-alliance, which includes Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway, has activated a “response” protocol to counter Russian threats.

It follows repeated warnings Russian activity that could threaten undersea internet cables, powerlines from windfarms and oil and gas pipelines.

Shapps hailed the mission as an “historic and unprecedented”.

He said: “The UK and our JEF partners will do whatever it takes to defend our mutual areas of interest, and today’s display of unshakeable unity sends a powerful message of deterrence that we stand ready to meet any potential threat with force.

“Together, we stand firmly in support of peace, security, and a steadfast resolve to uphold the rules-based international order.”

The seven vessel task force includes a Royal Fleet Auxilliary landing ship, RFA Mounts Bay, designed to launch coastal assaults with commandos.

The other vessels are HMS Richmond, HMS Somerset, HMS Severn, HMS Tyne, HMS Cattistock, HMS Penzance, RFA Mounts Bay and an RAF P-8 Poseidon sub-hunting patrol aircraft based at RAF Lossiemouth.