New Details Emerge on MT Strinda Missile Attack: French Navy Downs Drone

The French Navy has released new details about a missile attack on the Norwegian chemical tanker MT Strinda that occurred in the Bam-el-Mandem Strait.

According to the Navy’s statement, the FREMM Languedoc was patrolling the area when it “intercepted and destroyed” a drone that posed a “direct threat” to the Strinda. Afterwards, the frigate “placed itself in protection” of the Strinda and thwarted “an attempt to hijack the ship.”

The Navy reports that the fire on board the Strinda was brought under control and no injuries were reported.

“The USS Mason then escorted the Strinda towards the Gulf of Aden out of the threat zone.”

The statement provides new details of how the attack unfolded after initial reports emerged overnight. Late Monday, the US Central Command confirmed that the Norwegian-flagged MT Strinda had been struck by an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen while passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb. Although there were no US ships in the vicinity at the time, the USS Mason responded to the Strinda’s distress call and offered assistance.

The drone strike conducted by the FREMM Languedoc marks another success for the frigate, which only began freedom of navigation patrols in the region on December 8th. Just over the weekend, the vessel had already shot down two drones approximately 110 km from the Yemeni coast, near Al Hudaydah.

These incident follow threats made by Houthi officials to target all Israel-linked ships and any vessels bound for Israel. Notably, the ship owner of the Strinda, Norway’s Mowinckel Chemical Tankers, has now confirmed that the ship had a tentative port call in Israel in January, although this information was initially withheld as a precaution.

The escalation of threats against shipping along the Yemeni coast, including the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden, has been a growing concern since the beginning of the Israeli-Hamas war in October. Given that the region serves as a crucial trade route, with the Suez Canal as its main chokepoint accounting for 12% of global trade, the security of shipping in this area is of global significance.

The U.S. has blamed Iran for not only supplying Houthis with weapons, but also to plan and execute the attacks.

The French Navy’s full statement, translated using Google Translate, is below:

On the evening of Monday December 11, the oil tanker Strinda (Norwegian flag) was the victim of a complex air attack from Yemen causing a fire on board.
The FREMM Languedoc which was patrolling the area intercepted and destroyed a drone directly threatening the Strinda. The FREMM then placed itself in protection of the affected vessel, preventing the attempt to hijack the ship.
The fire on board the Strinda was brought under control. No injuries were reported. The USS Mason then escorted the Strinda towards the Gulf of Aden out of the threat zone. FREMM Languedoc has resumed its patrol towards the North.
FREMM Languedoc has been involved in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea since December 8 in order to contribute to maritime security and the freedom of navigation of ships (around 20,000 commercial ships pass through this area each year ).

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