U.S. Navy helicopters hearth at Yemen’s Houthi rebels, kill a number of in newest Red Sea delivery assault
BEIRUT — The U.S. navy stated Sunday that its forces opened hearth on Houthi rebels after they attacked a cargo ship within the Red Sea, killing a number of of them in an escalation of the maritime battle linked to the conflict in Gaza.
In a collection of statements, the U.S. Central Command stated the crew of the USS Gravely destroyer first shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired on the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou late Saturday, after the vessel reported getting hit by a missile earlier that night because it sailed by way of the Southern Red Sea.
Four small boats then attacked the identical cargo ship with small arms hearth early Sunday and rebels tried to board the vessel, the U.S. Navy stated.
Next, the USS Gravely and helicopters from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower plane service responded to the Maersk Hangzhou’s misery name and issued verbal warnings to the attackers, who responded by firing on the helicopters.
“The U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense,” sinking three of the 4 boats and killing the folks on board whereas the fourth boat fled the realm, the U.S. Central Command stated. No injury to U.S. personnel or tools was reported.
There was no quick remark from the Houthis.
The occasions surrounding the Maersk Hangzhou represented the twenty third unlawful assault by the Houthis on worldwide delivery since Nov. 19, the Central Command stated. It was the primary time the U.S. Navy stated its personnel had killed Houthi fighters for the reason that Red Sea assaults began.
For over a month, Iran-backed Houthis have claimed assaults on ships within the Red Sea that they are saying are both linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their assaults purpose to finish the Israeli air-and-ground offensive within the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ Oct.7 assault in southern Israel.
However, the hyperlinks to the ships focused within the insurgent assaults have grown extra tenuous because the assaults proceed.
The Denmark-based delivery big Maersk, proprietor of Maersk Hangzhou, stated Sunday it might droop delivery by way of the Red Sea once more after the 2 assaults on its freighter.
“In light of the (most recent) incident – and to give time to investigate the details of the incident and assess the security situation further – it has been decided that all transits through the area will be postponed for the next 48 hours,” Maersk was quoted as saying by the Danish public broadcaster DR.
On Saturday, the highest commander of U.S. naval forces within the Middle East stated Houthi rebels have proven no indicators of ending their “reckless” assaults on business ships within the Red Sea whilst extra nations be part of the worldwide maritime mission to guard vessels within the very important waterway and commerce visitors begins to select up.
Earlier this month, Washington introduced the institution of a brand new worldwide coalition to guard vessels touring by way of the waterway. The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain are additionally a part of the brand new maritime safety mission.
Since the Pentagon introduced Operation Prosperity Guardian to counter the assaults simply over 10 days in the past, 1,200 service provider ships have traveled by way of the Red Sea area, and none had been hit by drone or missile strikes, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper informed The Associated Press in an interview on Saturday.
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Associated Press author Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland contributed to this report.
