US Naval helicopters repel Houthi attack on merchant vessel in Red Sea

US Navy helicopters sank three of four small boats used by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels to attack a Maersk container vessel in the southern Red Sea, the US military said on Sunday.

Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, responding to distress calls from the Maersk Hangzhou, returned fire on the Houthi boats in self-defence and sank three of the vessels with no survivors, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

The fourth boat fled the area, said the statement on social media platform X.

Danish shipping company Maersk confirmed that the crew onboard Maersk Hangzhou had reported a flash on deck on December 30 at around 1830 CET, when the vessel was 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah.

The crew was safe and there was no indication of fire onboard the vessel that was fully manoeuvrable and continued its journey north to Port Suez, Maersk said.

The Houthi in Yemen have stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea to show their support for Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza.