U.S. Navy Destroyers Repel Houthi Missile and Drone Barrage in Bab-el-Mandeb Strait

Two U.S. Navy destroyers successfully fended off a significant multi-pronged attack while navigating the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait on Monday.

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed the incident on Tuesday, stating that the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Stockdale and USS Spruance repelled a barrage of drones and missiles, including “at least eight one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (UAVs), five anti-ship ballistic missiles, and three anti-ship cruise missiles.”

The coordinated assault, which occurred on November 11, was thwarted without any damage to the vessels or injuries to personnel. “The vessels were not damaged. No personnel were hurt,” Ryder said.

This incident comes in the wake of claims by Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree, who reported operations targeting two U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. However, Ryder did not confirm any incidents involving the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. Central Command reported that aircraft from USS Abraham Lincoln supported operations against Iran-backed Houthis in the area, though specific details were not provided.

“CENTCOM forces retain the inherent right of self-defense and will take appropriate steps to protect our personnel,” Ryder added.

For nearly a year, Iranian-backed Houthis have carried out numerous drone and missile strikes on commercial shipping and naval forces in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These attacks—purportedly in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict—have forced shipping companies to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, resulting in longer voyages and increased shipping costs. 

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