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On December 31, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that the helicopters of the US-led coalition sank three boats of the Yemeni Houthi fighters, who attacked the container ship Hangzhou under the flag of Singapore.
The Yemeni Houthis attacked a commercial container ship of the Danish company Maersk twice during the day in the Red Sea. The ship was first hit by an anti-ship missile fired from the Yemeni coast. According to the CENTCOM, the destroyer USS Gravely (DDG-107), which was escorting the ship, intercepted two surface-to-sea missiles; but it was not enough. The Maersk Hangzhou reported that it had been struck by a missile, when it was about 55 nautical miles southwest of Hudaydah. The crew “observed a flash on the deck,” Maersk said in an emailed statement.
Later, the Houthis approached the damaged ship on four speed boats, fired at it with automatic weapons and tried to climb on board, but were reportedly shot back by the ship’s crew. The crew managed to send a distress signal, in response to which US helicopters arrived to the area. According to the CENTCOM, the patrol helicopters of the American AUG destroyed 3 motor boats and another 1 boat retreated.
“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,” Central Command said. “The U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats, and killing the crews.”
No injuries were reported, and Maersk said that its vessel had continued its journey north. The Central Command said that no U.S. personnel were harmed or equipment damaged in the episode. The US-led coalition continues to patrol off the coast of Yemen as part of the Prosperity Guardian Operation.
The clash came just days after Maersk said that it was resuming voyages through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. On Sunday, Maersk said that it would pause “all transits through the area for the next 48 hours” as it investigates the attack and assesses security in the waterway.
The attack was the 23rd by the Houthis in about six weeks, according to the United States.
