U.S. Navy Destroyers Fend Off Houthi Attack on American Ships in Gulf of Aden

The Iran-backed Houthis on Tuesday announced the targeting of three American supply vessels and two destroyers in the Gulf of Aden.

The U.S. Central Command confirmed the incident, reporting that the destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS O’Kane (DDG 77) successfully intercepted a “range of Houthi-launched weapons” during a transit through the Gulf of Aden on December 9–10.

“The destroyers were escorting three U.S. owned, operated, and flagged merchant vessels,” the statement said, adding that the attacks resulted in no injuries or damages to vessels.

The weapons intercepted included multiple one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (OWA UAS), and one anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM).

The incident occurred as the vessels were reportedly departing from the port of Djibouti, with Houthi spokespersons claiming the ships “had previously practiced their aggression against Yemen.”

The engagement is similar to previous attacks on November 30 and December 1, when the USS O’Kane and USS Stockdale were escorting three American merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. During these incidents, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers intercepted three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three unmanned aerial systems, and an anti-ship cruise missile, according to U.S. Central Command.

The U.S.-flagged merchant vessels under protection included the Stena Impeccable, a tanker participating in the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Tanker Security Program, alongside the containership Maersk Saratoga and bulk carrier Liberty Grace. AIS data showed all three of the ships bound for Djibouti. All vessels emerged unscathed, with no casualties or damage reported.

Neither CENTCOM nor the Houthis identified the ships involved in the latest operation.

The three vessels previously attacked have not transmitted AIS signals for over a week.

In both instances, Houthi forces have to continue their campaign until “stopping the aggression and lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip,” a stance that underscores the complex dynamics affecting commercial shipping from volatile geopolitical events like the Israel-Hamas conflict.

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