US Navy helicopters kill Iran-backed Houthi fighters attempting to board a cargo ship in Red Sea

• Navy helicopters fired on Iran-backed Houthi gunmen attempting to hijack a cargo ship.
• The helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats, and killing the crews.
• The small boats originated from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, said US Central Command.

The conflict in the Red Sea escalated on Sunday when US Navy helicopters fired on and destroyed the boats of Iranian-backed Houthi gunmen attempting to board a cargo ship.

The small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, attempted to board the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-registered, Danish-owned cargo ship, said US Central Command (Centcom).