The US military said it shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired by the Houthi rebels in Yemen in the south of the Red Sea on Saturday as the Israel-Gaza war continues to reverberate in the region.

The US Navy responded to a call for help around 12 PM ET from the Maersk Hangzhou – a Singapore-flagged container ship operated and owned by Denmark – which reported it was struck by a missile while in the south of the Red Sea, the US Regional Command for the Middle East (CENTCOM) said on X.

"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 that the container ship was "reportedly seaworthy and there are no reported injuries."

The command said this was the 23rd attack by the Houthi rebels on international shipping since November 19.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who control large parts of Yemen, have repeatedly attacked Israel with drones and missiles. Demanding a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance for Palestinians, they have also targeted ships in the Red Sea, one of the most important shipping routes for world trade, which leads to the Suez Canal.

On December 18, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced a new multinational security initiative to counter the threat, but the operation has so far failed to produce any results amid hesitation and disagreements.

Due to the fear of disruption, many shipping companies, including Denmark's Maersk, decided to take an alternative route around the Cape of Good Hope. This new route adds around 3,500 nautical miles to the transit journey, making it more expensive.

The Danish company had announced it would resume shipping through the Red Sea earlier this week.