In a statement, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) declared that A US Navy warship named USS Gravely shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles that were launched from areas under Houthi control in Yemen on Saturday night.
Iranian-backed Houthi small boats attack merchant vessel and U.S. Navy helicopters in Southern Red Sea
On Dec. 31 at 6:30am (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… pic.twitter.com/pj8NAzjbVF
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 31, 2023
CENTCOM stated that early on Saturday that Maersk Hangzhou, a cargo ship with Singaporean and Danish flags, was hit by a missile while passing through the southern Red Sea, prompting a response from the warships Gravely and Laboon.
According to CENTCOM, in response to a distress call from the commercial vessel Maersk Hangzhou, US forces targeted and sank three out of four boats belonging to the Houthis that intended to seize the ship. The boats and their crew were submerged.
According to the CENTCOM statement, at 6:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, the Maersk Hangzhou sent a distress call stating that four boats with armed personnel intended to seize it. In response to this request, attack helicopters from the USS Iwo Jima and Gravely took flight and, in response to the firing from the Houthi-affiliated boats, sank three boats. The fourth boat left the scene of the conflict.
CENTCOM stated that this is the 23rd illegal attack registered by the Houthi rebels in Yemen against international ships since November 19, when the group began its attacks on ships in the Red Sea, claiming revenge against Israel for its military operations in Gaza.
According to CENTCOM, no damage has been reported, and according to reports, the ship was able to continue its voyage.
The Houthi attacks, supported by Iran’s regime, have forced some of the world’s largest shipping and oil companies to halt transit through one of the most important maritime trade routes, potentially causing a shock to the global economy.
These attacks have disrupted global trade, and major shipping companies have been forced to take longer and more expensive routes around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa instead of the Suez Canal.
The Red Sea is a point of entry for ships that carry about 12% of global trade through the Suez Canal and is vital for the transportation of goods between Asia and Europe.
I spoke to @Amirabdolahian today about Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, which threaten innocent lives and the global economy. I made clear that Iran shares responsibility for preventing these attacks given their long-standing support to the Houthis.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) December 31, 2023
On December 19, the United States formed a naval coalition called Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect ships in the waters of the Red Sea near Yemen, which is said to have been joined by twenty countries. After that, Maersk announced on January 3 that it would stop shipping through the Red Sea.
However, on Sunday, December 31, it was announced that due to the recent attack, all transits through this area would be suspended for 48 hours.
David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary, said on Sunday that he had told Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Minister, in a phone call that Iran must take action to stop the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
The Houthis aggression are part of the larger scheme of attacks that Iran-backed militias have been carrying out since the beginning of the war in Gaza. So far, the regime’s proxy forces have carried out more than 100 attacks against American targets alone.
There is growing consensus that without addressing the threats posed by Iran’s regime, there will be no peace in the Middle East in the near term.
