Copenhagen/Dubai/Cairo:
U.S. helicopters repelled an attack by Iran-backed Houthi militants on a Maersk container ship in the Red Sea, sinking three ships and killing 10 militants, according to reports from U.S., Maersk and Houthi officials on Sunday.
The sea battle took place around 0330 GMT on Sunday when the attackers tried to board the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou, Maersk and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely joined the ship's security team to repel the attackers after receiving a distress call, CENTCOM said.
Maersk said it suspended shipping through the Red Sea for 48 hours after the attack.
A spokesman for the Houthis said the group carried out the attack because the ship's crew refused to respond to warning calls. He said 10 Houthi naval personnel were “dead and missing” after their boats were attacked by US forces in the Red Sea.
The naval battle underlines the risk of a regional escalation of fighting as Israel continues its brutal bombing campaign following a surprise cross-border attack by Hamas on Israeli cities on October 7, which left 1,200 dead and 240 hostages taken hostage. More than 21,800 people were killed in the Israeli air and artillery bombardment, according to Gaza health authorities.
Yemen's Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea since November to show their support for Hamas, prompting major shipping companies to take the longer and more expensive route around Africa's Cape of Good Hope instead of the Suez Canal.
The Red Sea is the entry point for ships using the Suez Canal, which handles about 12% of world trade and is crucial for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe.
The United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian on December 19, saying more than 20 countries had agreed to participate in efforts to protect ships in Red Sea waters near Yemen.
Maersk, one of the world's largest cargo shippers, said on December 24 it would resume shipping through the Red Sea. However, attacks have continued and US allies have proven reluctant to commit to the coalition, with almost half not publicly announcing their presence.
The failed Houthi boarding operation was the second attack on the Maersk Hangzhou in as many days. The ship, carrying 14,000 containers en route from Singapore, was struck by a missile about 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah, Yemen, on Saturday.
The company added that the Maersk Hangzhou crew was safe and there was no evidence of fire on board the ship, which continued its journey north towards the Suez Canal.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby declined to say what options the U.S. is considering when asked on ABC's “Good Morning America” whether Washington would consider a preemptive strike against the Houthis.
“We have made it clear publicly to the Houthis, and also privately to our allies and partners in the region, that we take these threats seriously.”
British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “We are prepared to take immediate action, and we will not hesitate to take further action to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. “
“There should be no misunderstanding about the Houthis: we are committed to holding malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks,” he said.
Earlier on Sunday, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he had told Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a call that Iran must help stop Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
The shipping association BIMCO condemned the attacks and thanked the states involved in repelling them.
“We are grateful to the American, French and British efforts to date and hope that even more states will support the coalition with naval assets or other impactful means, including diplomatic pressure on the Houthis and their sponsors,” said Jakob Larsen, head of maritime security at BIMCO. security, told Reuters.
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