DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — In a recent incident in the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Navy destroyers intercepted and destroyed seven missiles and drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that were aimed at American warships and three accompanying merchant vessels. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damages reported from this engagement.
According to a statement from U.S. Central Command on Sunday evening, the destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane successfully neutralized three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones, and one anti-ship cruise missile. The identities of the merchant vessels involved in this operation have not been disclosed.
The Houthis took responsibility for the attack, asserting that they aimed at the U.S. destroyers along with “three supply ships belonging to the American army in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.” This escalation in hostilities is a continuation of a series of Houthi assaults targeting maritime traffic in a strategic waterway through which approximately $1 trillion worth of goods transit each year, particularly in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and the recent Israeli military actions in Lebanon. A ceasefire was declared in the conflict in Lebanon just last week.
It is worth noting that the USS Stockdale was also part of an earlier engagement concerning a similar situation on November 12. The recurring nature of these attacks underscores the escalating tensions in the region and the potential risks posed to international maritime operations.
