US Shoots Down Missiles Aiming AT A Container Ship In The Red Sea
The United States Navy has 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, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
A container ship, MAERSK HANGZHOU reported to have been hit with a missile. The USS Gravely and USS Laboon responded to the ship, CENTCOM said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The vessel is reportedly seaworthy, and there were no reported injuries. This is the 23rd attack by the Houthis on international shipping since Nov. 19, CENTCOM said.
USS GRAVELY shoots down two anti-ship ballistic missiles while responding to Houthi attack on merchant vessel.
Today at approximately 8:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), the container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU reported that they were struck by a missile while transiting the Southern Red Sea. The… pic.twitter.com/nUgifhkdC8
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 31, 2023
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.
As Houthi”s attacks intensified, container ships were compelled to take longer routes around Africa, which has cost them heavy operation expenses. The Red Sea is one of the world’s most significant routes for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, as well as for consumer goods, with nearly 15% of goods imported into Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa being shipped from Asia and the Gulf by sea. That includes 21.5% of refined oil and more than 13% of crude oil, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
