A French frigate shepherding container ships through the Red Sea shot down three ballistic missiles in a single incident on Thursday.

The European Union force deployed in the region said in a social media post that the unidentified war vessel “was providing close protection to merchant shipping” while intercepting and destroying the incoming missiles.

In separate, later statements, the French defence ministry and EUNAVFOR clarified that the ship was a frigate and that it was accompanying an unidentified container vessel.