Continued Houthi Attacks on Ships; 'Maersk' Halts Red Sea Passage for 48 Hours

The shipping line 'Maersk Hangzhou', based in Denmark, announced on Sunday, January 1, that Houthi militants supported by the Islamic Republic attacked one of the company's container ships with missiles and small boats, prompting the company to halt operations in the Red Sea for 48 hours. According to Reuters, Maersk stated that the crew of the ship was unharmed and, since there were no signs of fire on the vessel, it continued its journey towards the Suez port. This attack is the latest in a series of assaults by Yemeni Houthi militants, who have declared that they are targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which is also backed by the Islamic Republic. These attacks have disrupted global trade, forcing major shipping companies to take longer and more expensive routes around the Cape of Good Hope instead of through the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is a critical entry point for ships carrying about 12% of global trade through the Suez Canal and is vital for transporting goods between Asia and Europe. The United States formed a maritime coalition called 'Operation Guardian of Prosperity' on December 19 to protect ships in the Red Sea waters near Yemen, reportedly joined by twenty countries. Following this, Maersk announced on December 24 that it would resume shipping through the Red Sea. However, on Sunday, it announced that due to the recent attack, all transits through the area would be delayed for 48 hours. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), an American warship shot down two other anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. CENTCOM and Maersk stated that later at 3:30 PM GMT on Sunday, the same ship was attacked by four small boats from Houthi militants attempting to board the vessel, but the security team and helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, which responded to the Maersk ship's distress calls, prevented the attackers from boarding. CENTCOM reported that helicopters sank three of the militants' boats, killing all attackers on board, while the fourth boat fled the area. The Maersk Hangzhou, flying the Singapore flag, was en route from Singapore with a capacity of 14,000 containers. David Cameron, the UK Foreign Secretary, said on Sunday that he told Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Minister, that Iran must act to stop the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Cameron stated in a post on social media platform X: 'I made it clear that Iran, given its long-standing support for the Houthis, bears responsibility for preventing these attacks, which endanger the lives of innocents and the global economy.' According to Iranian media, Masoud Daneshmand, a board member of the Iranian Transport Institute, noted that the issues caused by the Houthis in the Red Sea have led to shipping costs and freight rates increasing by up to 50%. The United States sanctioned one individual and three entities facilitating financial aid from the Islamic Republic to the Houthis. Britain shot down an attacking drone in the skies over the Red Sea. Houthi missile attacks in the Red Sea have set a Liberian-flagged ship on fire. Houthi missile attacks targeted a ship in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Verification | Does the U.S. have the right to defend itself and others against Houthi attacks in the Red Sea? A senior IRGC official threatened that Israeli-flagged ships would 'definitely' be targeted. The White House National Security Advisor stated that the Islamic Republic has enabled attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The Pentagon reported that an American warship and several commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea. Houthi missile attacks prompted a response from two U.S. warships. The commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet stated that there are no signs of an end to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.