Maersk, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, suspended all container ship sailings in the Southern Red Sea after Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacked one of its vessels. This comes a day after the shipper reportedly attempted to restart sails in the critical waterway under the US' Operational Prosperity Guardian security umbrella. 

US Central Command wrote in a post on X that the Maersk Hangzhou container ship was struck by a missile while transiting the Southern Red Sea. The vessel requested assistance from the US military, to which two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS Laboon (DDG 58), responded.

"While responding, the USS GRAVELY shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward the ships," CENTCOM said, adding this is the 23rd "illegal attack" by Houthi rebels on commercial vessels on the critical waterway since Nov. 19.