French Navy Intercepts Ballistic Missile Near Primula — SkimNews
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- De Morgen reported on 26 October 2026 that the French Navy had shot down a ballistic missile near BNS Primula in mid-October, citing undisclosed sources as France investigated the incident.
- BNS Primula was passing through Bab el-Mandeb as a French escort intercepted the missile, but the minehunter was not the intended target; no casualties or damage were reported.
- Belgian government recalled BNS Primula from the Baltic Sea and sent it toward a planned allied demining operation in the Strait of Hormuz, but the lack of a ceasefire has kept political approval and the operation itself on hold.
- French Navy escorted 10 commercial ships through Bab el-Mandeb by the end of September, while European forces remained authorized to use force only to defend their own vessels and commercial shipping—not Houthi positions in Yemen.
- FS Languedoc shot down an incoming drone with its main gun on 1 October 2026 while escorting the LNG-powered merchant vessel Champs Elysées, which can carry 23,000 containers.
- Houthi rebels said in September they would refrain from attacking European ships and were not targeting American shipping, but would continue striking Saudi shipping as drone and missile attacks intensified against oil, LNG and cargo targets.
- De Morgen disclosed the Primula interception roughly two weeks after it occurred, matching the two-week lag before the 1 October drone interception was reported on 15 October.
Why it matters: France’s role is material: its Navy had escorted 10 commercial ships by end-September under rules permitting force only in self-defense or defense of commerce. The Primula interception, despite the Houthi pledge to spare European shipping, shows those escorts can face missile fire without authority to strike Houthi positions in Yemen.
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