Attacks on the MV Maersk Hangzhou

Attacks on the MV Maersk Hangzhou
	Part of the Operation Prosperity Guardian and the Red Sea crisis
Date	30–31 December 2023 (1 day)
Location	Red Sea, Gulf of Aden
Result	Houthi victory Maersk pauses shipping through the Red Sea for 48 hours.; Houthis succeed in temporarily halting shipping.; U.S succeeds in sinking Houthi attack boats.; On January 2 Maersk announce a halt on all shipping through the Red Sea;
Belligerents
Yemen (SPC)	United States
Commanders and leaders
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi	Marc Miguez
Units involved
Yemeni Navy (SPC) Houthis;	United States Navy Maersk private security contractors;
Strength
Four fast attack craft; Coastal missile batteries	One freighter; One aircraft carrier; Two destroyers
Casualties and losses
Three fast attack craft sunk; 10 killed	One civilian freighter damaged

On 30 December 2023, Houthi forces in the Gulf of Aden attacked the Maersk commercial vessel Maersk Hangzhou. Early the next day, Houthis again attacked the Maersk Hangzhou, attempting to board the freighter. The Maersk Hangzhou made a distress signal, to which U.S. Navy forces of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and destroyer USS Gravely responded. The U.S., along with Maersk security personnel aboard the ship, repelled the attack. The U.S. sank three Houthi vessels, killing ten Houthis. Maersk announced a 48-hour pause on shipping through the Red Sea following the incident. On January 2 Maersk announced a halt on shipping through the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks.