Washington: In the midst of escalating tensions in the Red Sea, the United States has confirmed the sinking of three vessels operated by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement on December 31, revealing that these vessels had previously attacked a container ship.

According to CENTCOM, the US Navy took defensive action after Houthi forces fired on US helicopters. This response resulted in the sinking of three out of four small boats that had approached the ship closely, while the fourth boat fled the area. Providing further details on the recent events in the Red Sea, CENTCOM explained that the US Navy had responded to a request from Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged and Denmark-owned ship. The vessel reportedly faced a second attack within 24 hours while transiting through the Red Sea.

Earlier, the ship had been targeted with two anti-ship ballistic missiles, both of which were successfully intercepted by the US Navy. The report noted that one of the missiles was launched from a controlled area in Yemen. In recent times, Houthi rebels have targeted ships passing through the Red Sea. In justifying these attacks, the group has shifted blame to Israel's military actions in Gaza against the Hamas group.

It is important to note that the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel began after the former carried out a cross-border attack in Israel, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,140 people and the kidnapping of 240 Israeli civilians, including women and children. Israel responded with military actions against Hamas, vowing to continue until a resolution is reached, despite calls from several countries for a ceasefire.

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