US Navy helicopters sank three small boats from Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen that were attacking a merchant ship in the Red Sea.
Israel National NewsDec 31, 2023, 12:00 PM (GMT+2)
The US CENTCOM reports that Iranian-backed Houthi small boats attack merchant vessel and U.S. Navy helicopters in Southern Red Sea.
According to the report, 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 Houthi small boats.
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. A contract embarked security team on the ship returned fire.
U.S. helicopters from the USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) and Gravely (DDG 107) responded to the distress call and in the process of issuing verbal calls to the small boats, the small boats fired upon the U.S. helicopters with crew served weapons and small arms.
The U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats, and killing the crews. The fourth boat fled the area. There was no damage to U.S. personnel or equipment.
The incident comes as part of a rising pattern of attacks on merchant vessels by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The group is thought to be aligned with Iran and has also launched numerous missile and drone attacks towards southern Israel.
Due to the increased danger to shipping in the Red Sea, many commercial shipping companies have begun rerouting vessels around Africa instead of attempting to reach the Suez Canal. This has caused increased shipping times and costs globally.
The United States of America has been leading an international effort to create a naval coalition to secure the Red Sea for merchant vessels. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu recently commented that he has spoken with many world leaders about the need for an international coalition to ensure freedom to navigate the area.
Content retrieved from: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382822.