Ship under fire after Houthi attack (archive)REUTERS/ANI Photo
US Army thwarts Houthi attack on ships in Gulf of Aden
US Central Command says US Navy destroyers successfully defeated a range of Houthi-launched weapons while transiting the Gulf of Aden.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Tuesday that its forces defeated attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on US Navy and US-flagged ships in the Gulf of Aden.
The statement said that US Navy destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS O’Kane (DDG 77) successfully defeated a range of Houthi-launched weapons while transiting the Gulf of Aden, in attacks that took place on both Monday and Tuesday.
“The destroyers were escorting three US owned, operated, and flagged merchant vessels. The reckless attacks resulted in no injuries and no damage to any vessels, civilians or US Naval,” said CENTCOM.
It added that the destroyers successfully engaged and defeated multiple one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (OWA UAS), and one anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), ensuring the safety of the ships and their personnel, as well as civilian vessels and their crews.
“These actions reflect the ongoing commitment of CENTCOM forces to protect US personnel, regional partners, and international shipping against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis,” the statement concluded.
The Houthis have upped their attacks in the region since the start of the war in Gaza last October, having launched drones towards Israel and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea region.
In the wake of the uptick in Houthi attacks, the US formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.
The coalition has repeatedly targeted Houthi facilities and weapons systems in Yemen. The Houthis have been unfazed by the strikes, saying that the campaign against the “Zionist enemy” will continue and that the attacks against the American and British ships will not stop.
