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Attacks on the MV Maersk Hangzhou

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Attack on the MV Maersk Hangzhou
Part of the Operation Prosperity Guardian and Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
Date30–31 December 2023
Location
Red Sea, Gulf of Aden
Result

United States victory

Belligerents

 Yemen (SPC)

 United States

  • Maersk private security contractors
Commanders and leaders
Houthi movement Abdul-Malik al-Houthi[citation needed] United States Marc Miguez[2]
Strength
Four fast attack craft[3]
Coastal missile batteries		 One freighter
One aircraft carrier
Two destroyers
Casualties and losses
Three fast attack craft sunk
10 killed[4]		 One civilian freighter damaged

Between 30 and 31 December 2023, the United States Navy engaged in a naval battle with the Houthi naval forces of the Supreme Political Council in the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis attacked the Maersk freighter Maersk Hangzhou and attempted to board her. The US Navy responded and defeated the Houthi naval squadron deployed to take the freighter, although the attack still resulted in the disruption of shipping through the Red Sea as Maersk announced a pause on shipping following the attack.

Background

With the start of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, the Houthi-controlled Supreme Political Council declared its support for Hamas and began launching attacks on Israel-affiliated shipping transiting through the Red Sea. These attacks caused Maersk, a major international shipping company, to announce on 15 December that its ships would no longer use the Red Sea and instead would transit around the Cape of Good Hope.[5] In response to the Houthi attacks, the United States government announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, a naval operation undertaken by Combined Task Force 153 to protect shipping.[6] With the increase in security provided by Operation Prosperity Guardian, Maersk announced on 29 December 2023, that its shipping operations would resume transiting the Red Sea.[7] As an incentive for the crew members of ships making such transits, Maersk announced its crews passing through the Red Sea would receive double pay.[8] One of the first Maersk freighters to resume transits through the Red Sea was MV Maersk Hangzhou.

For increased protection, the Maersk Hangzhou had aboard a team of armed private security contractors as it transited the Red Sea.[9] Additionally, the United States Navy's Carrier Strike Group 2 had been deployed to the Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian. This strike group consisted of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its escorting Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USS Laboon and USS Gravely. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was equipped with numerous F/A-18 fighter aircraft and helicopters. The destroyers were equipped with an array of missiles, 5-inch (127 mm) guns and smaller caliber weapons. The Laboon and Gravely also each carried one and two Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters respectively.[citation needed]

In contrast, the Houthi forces pitted against Operation Prosperity Guardian used coastal defense missile batteries and loitering munitions to launch their attacks. While most of the major naval assets the Houthis had captured during the Yemeni Civil War were destroyed near the start of said war, the Houthi naval forces had at their disposal a number of fast attack craft armed with light autocannons, machine guns and anti-tank missiles.[10]

Engagements

As the Maersk Hangzhou sailed through the Red Sea on 30 December 2023, it was attacked by Houthi missile batteries with at least one missile hitting the ship at approximately 8:30 P.M. local time. The Laboon and Gravely sailed to the scene and Gravely successfully intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis.[11]

The next day, the Maersk Hangzhou was approached by a squadron of four Houthi armed boats armed with mounted weapons. At approximately 06:30 Yemeni time (03:30 GMT), the Houthi squadron sailed within 20 meters (66 ft) of the Maersk Hangzhou and attempted to take the ship via a boarding action. The freighter's security contractors then engaged the Houthis while the freighter issued a distress call.[9] Helicopters from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gravely were then dispatched to the scene. On arriving they were engaged by the Houthi squadron. The American helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the Houthi craft and killing their crews. The fourth Houthi boat managed to escape.[12]

Aftermath

After the action ended, the United States' CENTCOM announced that its forces had suffered no casualties or damage. The Houthis acknowledged ten of its members were killed as a result of the engagement.[4] The Maersk Hangzhou was able to continue its journey north to Port Suez under its own power. However, as a result of the attack, Maersk announced that it was once again suspending its operations through the Red Sea.[1]

On 7 January, the Houthi movement stated that retaliatory attacks against the U.S. Navy would continue unless the US hands over the Navy servicemembers who killed the 10 Houthi attack boat personnel for them to stand trial in Yemen.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b "US sinks 3 ships, kills 10 after Houthi Red Sea attack". Reuters. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  2. ^ Correll, Diana (24 December 2023). "Ford and Eisenhower carriers will come home, eventually". Navy Times. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  3. ^ Javeri, Ashka; Soltani, Amin; Moore, Johanna; Mills, Peter; Carl, Nicholas (31 December 2023). "Iran Update, December 31, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Houthis Confirm 10 Killed in Engagement with American Helicopters During Attack Against Maersk Ship". Atlas News. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Maersk Operations through Red Sea / Gulf of Aden". Maersk. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  6. ^ Marabut, Gabrielle (21 December 2023). "Pentagon Launches Operation Prosperity Guardian to Safeguard Red Sea Shipping". MSN. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Danish transport company Maersk to resume shipping via Red Sea". Yahoo! News. 28 December 2023.
  8. ^ Rønnelund, Sofie (30 December 2023). "Mærsk doubles wages for crew to compensate for Red Sea danger". Scandasia.
  9. ^ a b LaGrone, Sam (31 December 2023). "U.S. Navy Helo Crews Kill Houthi Assault Boat Teams After Red Sea Attack". USNI News. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  10. ^ Sutton, H I (13 October 2018). "Houthi_Navy". Covert Shores. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  11. ^ Jones, Sam (31 December 2023). "US Navy downs missiles in Red Sea after ship attacked by Houthi rebels". The Guardian.
  12. ^ Sharma, Gaurav (31 December 2023). "Operation Prosperity Guardian Sees U.S. Navy Destroy Houthi Gun Boats". Forbes. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Houthi Leader: Ships Should Renounce Israel or Risk Attack". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 9 January 2024.

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