French Frigate Shoots Down Missile Near Belgian Minehunter In Bab el-Mandeb Strait

A French Navy frigate shot down a ballistic missile near the Belgian minehunter BNS Primula in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on October 13, the French military said.

The French Armed Forces General Staff confirmed the incident on October 27. It said the frigate detected and intercepted the missile while escorting the Belgian ship. The military described the action as defensive but said it could not determine the missile’s final path.

No one was injured, and no damage was reported. There is no evidence that Primula was the target. As of October 26, no group had claimed responsibility for launching the missile. France and Belgium had not blamed Yemen’s Houthi group.

Bab el-Mandeb lies between Yemen and the African countries of Djibouti and Eritrea. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is used by ships travelling between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

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