US Army Choppers Kill Houthi Attackers As They Attack A Container Ship Transiting The Red Sea

The Red Sea, which is one of the world’s most significant container ship routes, has witnessed a ferocious fight between the U.S. Central Command and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels as the Houthis attacked the container ship Maersk Hangzhou. According to US Central Command, small boats originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen fired at the ship before the Houthi-backed militias tried to get aboard.

In response to the distress call made by the crew, the US Centcom fired at the Houthis and sank three of the four small boats, killing the crews, while the fourth boat fled the area, and no US personnel or equipment sustained damage.

The US Centcom said that it returned fire from helicopters launched from the warships USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) and Gravely (DDG 107) in self-defense.

That was the second time Maersk Hangzhou issued a distress call in less than 24 hours, reporting being under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats, the US Centcom said.

“The small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, fired crew-served and small arms weapons at the Maersk Hangzhou, getting to within 20 meters of the vessel, and attempted to board the vessel,” the US Centcom further added.

Iranian-backed Houthi small boats attack merchant vessel and U.S. Navy helicopters in Southern Red Sea

On Dec. 31 at 6:30am (Sanaa time) the container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU issued a second distress call in less than 24 hours reporting being under attack by four Iranian-backed… pic.twitter.com/pj8NAzjbVF

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 31, 2023

The United States Navy had shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles allegedly fired by Houthi terrorists aiming at a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned or operated container ship transiting the Southern Red Sea.

The Houthi rebels are targeting ships travelling through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, also known as the Gate of Tears, which is a channel 20 miles (32km) wide, with drones and rockets declaring their support to Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that is fighting against Israel in Gaza. The Houthis argue that they were targeting the ships that carry goods to Israel.

Meanwhile, the U.S. formed a 10-nation coalition force to guard the ships from the Houthi attacks, and countries such as Bahrain, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles, and Spain are part of this coalition.