On December 31, 2023, four small boats filled with Iranian-backed Houthi fighters closed in on the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged container ship carrying 14,000 containers through the Red Sea. The attack occurred at 6:30 AM local time, approximately 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah, Yemen. It was the second distress call from the vessel in less than 24 hours.
MH-60S Seahawk helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Seven, deployed from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gravely, responded to the distress call. The small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, ignored repeated warnings and opened fire on the approaching helicopters with crew-served weapons and small arms.
The engagement was brief and decisive. The American helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the four attack boats within seconds. The fourth boat retreated. Ten Houthi combatants were killed in the engagement. There were no injuries to Navy personnel or the crew of the Maersk Hangzhou.
Why the MH-60S Seahawk Was Perfect for This Mission
The MH-60S Seahawk is the U.S. Navy’s primary helicopter for ship defense, special operations, and anti-surface warfare. The aircraft can be rapidly deployed from carriers and destroyers, providing immediate response to threats against commercial and military vessels.
The Seahawks are equipped with door-mounted machine guns and trained crews who can deliver precise, suppressive fire against small, fast-moving surface targets. This combination of speed, firepower, and maneuverability makes them ideal for confronting small boat attacks in confined waters like the Red Sea.
The USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group had been conducting Red Sea maritime security operations since late 2023, part of Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect commercial shipping from Houthi attacks launched in solidarity with Hamas during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The Broader Context
The Maersk Hangzhou incident was part of a wider pattern of Houthi attacks on commercial vessels that began on November 19, 2023. By February 2024, 40 vessels had been attacked. The attacks disrupted global shipping patterns, forcing many companies to reroute around Africa rather than use the Suez Canal.
The USS Eisenhower strike group would go on to spend months in sustained combat operations, defending international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The pace and intensity of operations were unlike anything the Navy had experienced in decades, with the carrier and its escorts regularly engaging drone swarms, anti-ship ballistic missiles, and surface threats.
The strike group’s deployment was extended multiple times before finally returning home after more than 250 days at sea, making the USS Eisenhower one of the most heavily deployed carriers in the fleet.
