US Naval helicopters repel Houthi attack on merchant vessel in Red Sea - Reuters

 

by Reuters

The Houthi militants in Yemen have stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

 

Components of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG), guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) and French Navy frigate FS Languedoc (D 653) transit the Strait of Hormuz November 25, 2023.

(photo credit: VIA REUTERS)

Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacked a Maersk container vessel, prompting the company to pause all sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours, Maersk said on Sunday.

The attack was the latest by Houthi militants in Yemen, who have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea to show their support for Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza.

US Navy helicopters sank three of four small boats used by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists to attack a merchant vessel in the southern Red Sea on Sunday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media platform X.

Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, responding to distress calls from the Maersk Hangzhou, returned fire on the Houthi boats in self-defense and sank three of the vessels with no survivors.

The fourth boat fled the area, said the statement on social media platform X.

Ship continued on its journey after attack

Danish shipping company Maersk confirmed that the crew onboard Maersk Hangzhou had reported a flash on deck on Dec 30 at around 1830 CET, when the vessel was 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah.

The crew was safe, and there was no indication of fire onboard the vessel that was fully maneuverable and continued its journey north to Port Suez, Maersk said.

Maersk ship Volga Maersk is docked in Riga port, Latvia May 31, 2019. (credit: REUTERS/INTS KALNINS)

The Singapore-flagged vessel with the capacity to carry 14,000 containers was en route from Singapore.

Reuters

Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-780191

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