Houthis attack merchant ships under US Navy escort

US Central Command said on Twitter that US Navy destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane had defeated a range of Houthi-launched weapons during a transit of the Gulf of Aden on November 30 to December 1.

The destroyers were escorting three US-owned, -flagged, and -operated merchant vessels through the area. The Houthis have stated their intention to target vessels it believes have ties to Israeli interests, including US ships, as retaliation for Israel’s actions in Palestine, but the group has also launched attacks on vessels with no obvious links to Israel or its allies.

US Central Command said three anti-ship ballistic missiles were defeated, as well as three one-way aerial drones, and an anti-ship cruise missile.

“These actions reflect the ongoing commitment of US Central Command forces to protect US personnel, regional partners, and international shipping, against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis,” said US Central Command.

UKMTO carries a report of an incident on December 1 in the Gulf of Aden at 1115 hrs 80 nm south of Aden, Yemen, but no further updates have been published beyond “authorities are investigating.”