Follow ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

The British Royal Navy announced on Sunday the return of the destroyer HMS Duncan to the UK after a six-month absence, despite never reaching its intended operational area in the Red Sea.

According to a statement released by the British Royal Navy website, the destroyer “Duncan” returned to spend Christmas at homeland after it had been sent to replace the destroyer HMS Diamond to support multinational efforts to ensure the flow of commerce in the Red Sea amid escalating attacks by Sana’a forces.

Although the British Ministry of Defense announced in May the dispatch of “Duncan” to the Red Sea, the statement clarified that the destroyer received orders to stay in the Eastern Mediterranean due to increased regional tensions there, preventing it from reaching its original destination.

The preceding HMS Diamond, which arrived in the Red Sea before “Duncan,” faced significant difficulties as reported by the BBC in March, confirming that the destroyer encountered intense attacks by Sana’a forces with drones and ballistic missiles, without effectively repelling them.

The operations in the Red Sea highlighted clear deficiencies in the capabilities of British warships, as their defense systems were unable to confront ballistic missiles, in addition to facing problems in ammunition resupply.

With the return of “Duncan,” questions arise regarding the effectiveness of the British role in safeguarding maritime interests in conflict zones and the readiness of British warships to handle increasing threats in turbulent regions like the Red Sea.

The return during the holiday season serves as a brief respite while the Royal Navy faces challenges to improve its strategies and defensive capabilities for the future.