The US military fired on and sank three boats operated by Iran-backed Houthi rebels – killing their crews – after the militants tried to attack a Maersk container vessel in the Red Sea off Yemen early Sunday, officials said.

Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely warships opened fire on “four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats,” sinking three of them, while responding to an SOS from the Singapore-flagged vessel Maersk Hangzhou around 6:30 a.m. local time, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby later insisted that the US is not looking to expand the conflict and that the boats were sunk in self-defense — while warning America will strike preemptively if needed to protect its interests.

“We’ve got significant national security interests in the region just on our own, the United States, and we’re going to put the kind of forces we need in the region to protect those interests, and we’re going to act in self-defense going forward,” Kirby told ABC News.

“We don’t seek a conflict wider in the region, and we’re not looking for a conflict with the Houthis. The best outcome here would be for the Houthis to stop these attacks, as we have made clear over and over again,” he said.

Asked whether the US might fire a pre-emptive strike, Kirby replied, “We’re not ruling anything in or out, but we have made it clear publicly to the Houthis and privately to our allies and partners in the region we take these threats seriously, and we’re going to make the right decisions going forward.”

The fourth boat escaped the attack, which officials say was launched in self-defense about 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah, Yemen.

The operators of the boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, opened fire at the Maersk Hangzhou and intended to board it, coming as close as 65 feet, CENTCOM said.

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The incident marked the second time in less than 24 hours that the Maersk vessel came under attack, according to CENTCOM.

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Late Saturday, the USS Gravely shot down two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen while responding to a missile strike on the same ship, which was navigating the southern Red Sea, CENTCOM said.

There were no reported injuries during that encounter.

The Iran-backed Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks on ships that they say are either linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports.

They have said their goal is to end Israel’s air-and-ground offensive targeting the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ Oct. 7 sneak attack on Israel.

The Houthi attacks have disrupted world trade, as the Red Sea is the entry point for ships using the Suez Canal – the route for about 12% of world trade, which is essential for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe.

Major shipping companies have opted to take a longer and more expensive route around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to avoid the conflict.

In an effort to put an end to the disruption and safeguard ships traversing the Red Sea near Yemen, the US Pentagon launched Operation Prosperity Guardian on Dec. 19.