2023-12-31 12:03:00
American vessels in the Red Sea (via AP)
US Navy helicopters sank three ships operated by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, backed by the Iranian regime, who had attacked a container ship in the Red Sea, the military said Sunday.
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After the Houthis fired on the US helicopters, they “returned fire in self-defense,” sinking three of the four small boats that had approached within 20 meters of the ship, and eliminating their crew members, Central Command said. (CENTCOM) in a statement.
“The fourth boat fled the area,” he added.
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CENTCOM said the navy responded to a request for help from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Danish-owned and managed container ship that reported being attacked for the second time in 24 hours while transiting the Red Sea.
The ship had previously been attacked with two anti-ship ballistic missiles that the US military shot down.
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One of the missiles, both launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen, hit the Maersk Hangzhou.
This is the first direct confrontation between the United States and the Houthis that leaves victims among the insurgents since the rebels began launching barrages of missiles and drones two months ago against southern Israel and also against ships flying the flag of the Jewish State or owned by Israeli companies in the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandeb Strait.
Houthi attack in the Red Sea
After having suspended transit through that area, the Danish shipping company Maersk decided a few days ago to resume its passage through the Red Sea when the United States announced the creation of the new naval coalition to defend international maritime security.
The Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships in the vital Red Sea shipping route with attacks they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting the Hamas militant group.
The attacks endanger a transit route that carries up to 12% of global trade, prompting the United States to create a multinational naval force this month to protect shipping in the Red Sea.
The United States was quick to grant military aid to support Israel, which has carried out a relentless campaign in Gaza in which at least 21,672 people have died, mostly civilians, according to the Ministry of Health of the Hamas-run territory.
Those deaths have sparked widespread anger in the Middle East and fueled attacks by anti-Israel armed groups across the region.
US forces in Iraq and Syria have also repeatedly been targeted by drone and rocket attacks that Washington says are the work of armed groups backed by Iran.
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