U.S. Navy helicopters fire at Yemen’s Houthi rebels and kill several in latest Red Sea shipping attack
The US Navy has destroyed Houthi “small boats” whose crew attempted to board a container ship in the Red Sea.
Four vessels from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen fired upon the Maersk Hangzhou and got within metres of the ship, the US military said.
Helicopters from nearby US warships responded to a distress call – and, after being fired upon, sank three boats “in self-defence”.
The crews were killed and the fourth boat fled the area.
Next, the USS Gravely and helicopters from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier responded to the Maersk Hangzhou’s distress call 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 four boats and killing the people on board while the fourth boat fled the area, the U.S. Central Command said. No damage to U.S. personnel or equipment was reported.
