Pentagon: Navy Sank 3 Houthi Boats, Killing Their Crews

Militants had attacked container vessel in Red Sea, Central Command says
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 31, 2023 11:10 AM CST
Navy Fire Sank Houthi Boats in Red Sea: Pentagon
A 20mm Phalanx CIWS weapons defense cannon is mounted on the Navy destroyer USS Gravely in March 14.   (AP Photo/John C. Clark, File)

Navy helicopters attacked four small boats in the Red Sea carrying Houthi militants on Sunday after coming under fire, US military officials said, sinking three of them. The boats' crews were killed, US Central Command reported, after militants attacked and tried to board a Denmark-owned Maersk Hangzhou container vessel. Navy helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely responded to the ship's distress call, per the New York Times. "In the process of issuing verbal calls to the small boats, the small boats fired upon the US helicopters with crew-served weapons and small arms," Central Command posted on X. "The US Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense."

The fourth Houthi boat escaped the area. On Saturday night, Centcom said, the Maersk Hangzhou was struck by a missile, and the Gravely responded by shooting down two ballistic missiles that had come from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. No injuries were reported, per the Washington Post. The shipper had announced Wednesday that it was resuming its trips through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, after staying away for about a week as a precaution. Maersk said Sunday it now will suspend voyages through the area for 48 hours while it reconsiders the security situation.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, began attacking ships in the Red Sea in November, saying they're trying trying to stop vessels linked to Israel or going to Israeli ports, per the AP, in an effort to undercut the offensive in Gaza. The top US Navy commander said Saturday there's no indication that the attacks on commercial ships will stop, and an international effort plans to provide security in the Red Sea. The US said Sunday's attack was the 23rd by the Houthis in about six weeks, per the Times. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)

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