Small Houthi boats attacked a merchant ship and US Navy helicopters in the southern Red Sea. US helicopters returned fire and sank three of the four boats. UNN reports this with reference to the US Central Command.
Details
It is noted that on December 31, the container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU sent a second distress call in less than 24 hours, reporting that it was attacked by four small boats of the Houthis, supported by Iran.
Small boats arriving from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen fired at the crew and small arms at the MAERSK HANGZHOU, coming within 20 meters of the vessel, and tried to board it.
The contracted security team on the MAERSK HANZGHOU returned fire. The USS EISENHOWER (CVN 69) and GRAVELY (DDG 107) helicopters responded to the distress call, and while transmitting a verbal signal to the small boats, the small boats fired on the armed crewed US helicopters with small arms fire. The US Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats and killing the crew. The fourth boat fled the area
No U.S. personnel or equipment were reportedly damaged.
Addendum
Earlier it was reported that on December 30 the United States shot down two anti-ship ballistic missilesfired from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen towards a container ship in the southern Red Sea.