Missile duel in the Red Sea: American destroyers entered the battle

The Houthis fired at a Danish container ship flying the flag of Singapore

Photo: Global Look Press

A US destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen on Saturday when it responded to a call for help from a container ship that had been shot down separately, US Central Command (Centcom) said.

Centcom says US destroyers Gravely and Laboon responded to a request for assistance from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged container ship owned and operated by Denmark, which reported being hit by a missile while transiting the Red Sea.

According to Centcom, missiles were fired at the ships in response from territory controlled by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, The Guardian notes.

Central Command said the missiles were shot down, describing it as “23 1st illegal Houthi attack on international shipping” since November 19.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) said it had received reports of an incident in the Red Sea about 55 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah. The captain of the unidentified vessel reported a “loud bang accompanied by a flash on the port side of the vessel” and several explosions in the area. There were no reports of damage and all crew were reported to be safe. The ship left the area at full speed and headed to the next port of call.

The Houthis have already carried out attacks on ships in the vital Red Sea shipping lane, which they say are aimed at supporting Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting war to root out the Hamas militant group, The Guardian recalls.

Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea in response to the attacks, instead making longer journeys around Africa.

Yemeni rebels said they were targeting Israel and its associated vessels. The US has created a multinational naval task force to protect the Red Sea transit route, through which up to 12% of global trade passes.