Washington, DC, Dec 31, 2023: In a recent incident in the southern Red Sea, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels attempted to hijack the merchant vessel MAERSK HANGZHOU, prompting a swift response from the US Navy.
On Sunday, four Houthi boats attacked the MAERSK HANGZHOU, firing at the crew and closing in within 20 meters in an attempt to board the vessel. Responding promptly to the distress call, security teams boarded the ship, returning fire and thwarting the hijack attempt. Simultaneously, US Navy helicopters from the USS EISENHOWER (CVN 69) and GRAVELY (DDG 107) also responded to the situation.
In a social media post, the US Central Command stated, “Iranian-backed Houthi small boats attack merchant vessel and U.S. Navy helicopters in Southern Red Sea On Dec. 31 at 6:30 am (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 post continued, “A contract embarked security team on the MAERSK HANGZHOU 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 US Navy helicopters successfully sank three of the Houthi boats, eliminating the threat and ensuring the safety of the vessel and its crew. The fourth boat fled the area, and no damage was reported to US personnel or equipment.
This incident follows a previous attack where the US military shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles directed at the MAERSK HANGZHOU. The vessel reported being struck by a missile while transiting the Southern Red Sea. In response, the USS GRAVELY shot down the missiles, ensuring the safety of the ship. The USS Laboon and F-18 fighter jets from the Eisenhower carrier strike group were deployed in the southern Red Sea as part of a US-led coalition aimed at safeguarding shipping lanes from Houthi attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
This marks the 23rd attack by the Houthis on international shipping since November 19. The US Central Command emphasized that the vessel remains seaworthy, and no injuries were reported in the recent incidents.
In a separate development last week, the US successfully intercepted twelve attack drones and five missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthis, demonstrating the ongoing challenges in the region.
