US military kills Houthi rebels attacking container ship in Red Sea

American navy helicopters sank three small boats used by Houthi militants to attack a Maersk container vessel in the southern Red Sea, the US military has said. Several of the armed Houthi crews were killed when the helicopters opened fire, the US military added. There have been no injuries on the Denmark-owned container vessel. The ship was targeted as Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea to show their support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is fighting Israel in Gaza. The Maersk Hangzhou ship initially reported it had been hit…