UK deploys HMS Diamond warship in Red Sea
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The United Kingdom has deployed its HMS Diamond in the Red Sea in a bid to further undermine Yemen's efforts to support Gaza, but likely to no avail.
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British warship HMS Diamond (Royal Navy)
The United Kingdom has announced the deployment of its HMS Diamond destroyer to take over "safeguarding commercial shipping" in the Red Sea in light of the attacks of the Yemeni Armed Forces on maritime traffic, which is aimed at pressuring the West to allow the entry of aid to the Gaza Strip.
British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the deployment on Tuesday, expressing gratitude to the crew of HMS Richmond for their dedicated service and affirming confidence in HMS Diamond's ability to continue the mission effectively.
HMS Diamond, armed with Sea Viper surface-to-air missiles, has been actively patrolling the area since late December but that was not enough to prevent British vessels attempting to violate Yemen's demands from being struck by its Armed Forces' missiles and kamikaze drones.
The rotation of HMS Diamond comes after the United States announced the formation of a multinational naval force aimed at undermining Yemen's cause of aiding Gaza.
HMS Richmond, equipped with Sea Ceptor air defense missiles, had been patrolling the area since the beginning of January, before handing over responsibilities to HMS Diamond.
Following the transition, HMS Richmond is scheduled to return to the UK for essential maintenance and resupply, ensuring operational readiness for future deployments.
Yemen declared in November its intention to target Israeli-linked ships in retaliation for the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip and the relentless bombardment of civilian areas.
Numerous officials have underlined that the Yemeni operations would not cease until the aggression on Gaza comes to an end and the blockade on the Palestinian people is lifted.
Ahead of the start of the holy month of Ramadan, Ansar Allah's leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in a speech on Sunday that the people of Yemen remain steadfast in their commitment to ward off enemy forces in regional waters and defend Yemeni sovereignty against US-UK naval aggressions.
The leader further stressed that the resistance remains committed to putting an end to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, noting that the Yemeni nation is honored to act in accordance with the feelings of "pain of the Islamic Ummah" and the plight inflicted on the people of Gaza.
"We will continue our operations and many of our fundamental and necessary activities must continue," the leader said during an address to clerics and officials of Yemen’s government in a ceremony held on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan.
He also urged the Yemeni people to continue showing support for Palestinians by staging street demonstrations.
