BEIRUT (AP) - In a significant escalation of the maritime conflict linked to the war in Gaza, the United States military announced that its forces engaged Houthi rebels after they attacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea. The incident took place late Saturday when the USS Gravely destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired at the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou, which had reported being hit by a missile earlier in the evening.

According to statements from the U.S. Central Command, four small boats later launched a small arms attack on the same cargo ship early Sunday, with rebels attempting to board the vessel. The USS Gravely and helicopters from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier promptly responded to the distress call issued by the Maersk Hangzhou.

However, the attackers responded by firing upon the U.S. Navy helicopters, prompting them to fire back in self-defense. As a result, three of the four boats were sunk, and those on board were killed, while the fourth boat managed to flee the area. Luckily, no harm was reported to U.S. personnel, equipment, or casualties from the cargo ship.

This incident marks the 23rd illegal attack by the Houthis on international shipping since November 19, as stated by the U.S. Central Command. Notably, this is the first time the U.S. Navy disclosed killing Houthi fighters since the Red Sea attacks began.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea for over a month. They allege that these ships are either linked to Israel or headed to Israeli ports, and that their intention is to put an end to the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. These attacks were sparked by the October 7 attack by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, in southern Israel.

Consequently, Maersk, the Denmark-based shipping giant and owner of Maersk Hangzhou, announced that it would suspend shipping through the Red Sea for the next 48 hours in response to the two attacks on its freighter. The company stated that it aims to investigate the incident and assess the security situation further.

Prior to this, the United States had announced the establishment of a new international coalition to safeguard vessels in the Red Sea. This coalition, known as Operation Prosperity Guardian, includes the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain. Since its establishment just over 10 days ago, over 1,200 merchant ships have traveled through the Red Sea region without any recorded drone or missile strikes.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the top commander of U.S. naval forces in the Middle East, emphasized that despite the growing international maritime mission and increased trade traffic, the Houthi rebels show no signs of ceasing their "reckless" attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

The situation remains dynamic and calls for heightened vigilance as international efforts intensify to protect vessels traveling through the vital waterway.