Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea attacked U.S. Navy helicopters before the American aircraft sank several of the rebel-operated boats, the U.S. military said on Sunday.
A commercial cargo vessel, the Maersk Hangzhou, had issued a distress call, saying it was under attack from four Houthi small boats, at around 6:30 a.m. local time (10:30 p.m. ET Saturday), the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. The container ship had issued another distress call within the past 24 hours, the military said.
The rebels came within 20 meters (22 yards) of the cargo ship, and "attempted to board the vessel," CENTCOM said.
Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier and the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class warship, responded to the call, and attempted to communicate with the small boats before the vessels "fired upon the U.S. helicopters with crew served weapons and small arms," CENTCOM said.
The U.S. helicopters acting in "self-defense" sank three out of the four Houthi small boats, killing the crew members, according to the U.S. military.
The fourth boat "fled the area," CENTCOM added. "There was no damage to U.S. personnel or equipment."
Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have mounted attacks on commercial ships passing through the Red Sea for weeks, often using anti-ship missiles or attack drones. The rebels say the attacks are aimed at vessels associated with Israel as it continues its ground offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas through the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday, CENTCOM had said the USS Gravely shot down two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles while responding to a first distress call from the Maersk Hangzhou. The Singapore-flagged but Danish-owned and operated cargo vessel said it was struck by a missile at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET).
This was the 23rd Houthi attack on international shipping vessels since November 19, CENTCOM said. Houthi military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said on Friday that the rebels "warn the American enemy of the implications of any escalation against our country and people."
Several companies diverted their cargo vessels passing through the Red Sea, sparking fears over global supply chains. Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk, which operates the Maersk Hangzhou, said on Sunday it was pausing shipping through the Red Sea for 48 hours, Reuters reported.
The U.S. upped its presence in the region, announcing its Operation Prosperity Guardian earlier this month.
The initiative, beefing up pre-existing Combined Maritime Forces in the Red Sea, and Task Force 153 based out of Bahrain, is designed to calm the nerves of shipping companies using the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, ensuring that the region "remains safe for commercial shipping," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
Several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Norway, are cooperating with the U.S. and Bahrain to protect vessels making their way through the Red Sea.
Since Austin unveiled Operation Prosperity Guardian on December 18, 1,200 merchant ships have passed through the Red Sea without any drone or missile strikes, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, who heads up the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, told The Associated Press in an article published on Sunday.
However, the Houthi rebels are unlikely to stop the "reckless" attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea, Cooper said.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Ellie Cook is a Newsweek security and defense reporter based in London, U.K. Her work focuses largely on the Russia-Ukraine ... Read more
