The French navy’s multi-mission frigate, Languedoc, downed two Houthi drones off the coast of Yemen on Saturday night in the Red Sea, according to a statement from the French military. The drones were launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
US Central Command said that “the French Navy has announced that the Languedoc (D653), a FREMM Multi-Mission Frigate, shot down two Houthi drones in the Red Sea off the Coast of Yemen that were launched from Yemen.”
The Languedoc is a new advanced multi-purpose frigate that specializes in anti-submarine warfare; it also carries air defenses. The ship is part of a relatively new program of frigate building that has seen eight similar frigates in the French Navy put to sea as part of the same class. The Languedoc was launched in 2014 and commissioned in 2016 at the naval base of Toulon. It is 142 meters long and has a crew of around 120.
Visits by French ships are important for Israel-France ties
This particular warship docked in Haifa in March 2019 during a routine visit by the French Navy to Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean. The Alsace, another frigate in the same class of ships that specializes in air defenses, also came to Haifa this past February. These visits by French ships are important for Israel-France ties and also as part of Paris’s deployment of naval assets in the region.
The French role in the region is essential for security in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf; the interception of drones in the Red Sea illustrates this role. France has also dispatched the helicopter carrier Dixmude to serve as a hospital ship off the coast of Egypt in case it is needed due to the conflict in Gaza.
On November 28, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote that “the Dixmude has arrived in Egypt, about fifty kilometers from Gaza. It is here to support efforts to address the humanitarian emergency. Thanks [go out] to our military, our doctors, our diplomats, and our partners. Together in solidarity.”
The incident in the Red Sea on Saturday came in the wake of the Houthis saying they would target all commercial ships bound for Israel. It was not clear if this drone threat was connected to that one. The French warship was steaming around 110 km. from the coast of Yemen when the incident took place.
The interception of drones by this warship and by several US ships, such as USS Carney, USS Thomas Hudner, and USS Mason in recent months, gives Western navies the chance to use their air defenses. The Carney, for instance, took part in a multi-hour incident on December 3, intercepting several drones. The same ship was involved in downing missiles on October 19.
As the Iran-backed Houthi threats increase in the Red Sea, the role of the international community is increasingly important. The US has played a significant and pivotal role so far in downing drones and missiles and responding to distress calls by ships. However, the Houthi threats are increasing. Their threats to target all ships appear to be an attempt to blockade Israel, a reminder that past attempts to blockade the Jewish state have led to conflicts.
Hamas has thanked the Houthis for their new statements on Saturday in which they said they would target all ships bound for Israel. Houthi media Al-Masirah also highlighted their missile threat to Israel. The group’s media said that foreign reports indicated it is a strategic danger now, something the Houthis appear to be proud of.