On the morning of 31 December 2023, the U.S. Navy repelled an attempt by Yemen-based Houthi militants to board the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou container ship in the Red Sea. During the battle, U.S. Navy helicopters destroyed three of the four Houthi-controlled vessels that attempted the assault, killing 10 Houthi fighters. No injuries or damage were reported on board the Hangzhou. Maersk shipping announced that it was pausing all shipping through the Red Sea for the next 48 hours in response. This is the second such pause Maersk has instituted since the Houthis began assaulting vessels in the Red Sea.