U.S. Navy destroyers intercepted and destroyed several missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen, targeting military ships and three American commercial vessels they were escorting in the Gulf of Aden.
According to U.S. military reports, the USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane successfully intercepted and destroyed three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three one-way unmanned aerial systems, and one anti-ship cruise missile. No reports of damage or casualties have been confirmed.
The AP agency reported that the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that their targets were U.S. destroyers and three U.S.-owned supply ships operating in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The U.S. and the UK have repeatedly struck Houthi targets in Yemen since the beginning of the year in response to their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis claim these attacks were aimed at vessels linked to Israel, as part of their demonstration of support for the Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.
In October, the U.S. announced plans to maintain a military presence in the Red Sea region to help protect civilian ships from attacks by Iran-backed militants.
In mid-November, U.S. forces carried out airstrikes on Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen in response to attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
