Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a fusillade of drones and missiles against two U.S. Navy destroyers as they transited the Bab el-Mendeb strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman.
“During the transit, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale and USS Spruance were attacked by at least eight one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems, five anti-ship ballistic missiles, and three anti-ship cruise missiles, which were successfully engaged and defeated,” Ryder said during a Pentagon news briefing on Monday. “The vessels were not damaged. No personnel were hurt.”
Ryder did not say how long the engagement lasted or how many attacks the Houthis launched. He also did not specify what type of munitions were used against the drones and missiles or how many interceptors were fired.
U.S. Central Command is expected to release more information about the engagement later on Tuesday, Ryder said.
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“CENTCOM forces retain the inherent right of self-defense,” Ryder said, “And, as I highlighted earlier, we’ll take appropriate steps to protect our personnel.”
Ryder also denied claims by the Houthis that they had targeted the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Red Sea. The Pentagon spokesman declined to say how close the Lincoln was to the Spruance and Stockdale during the engagement.
Since Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel, the Houthis have launched missiles, drones, and unmanned boats against commercial shipping that have turned the shipping lanes of the Red Sea into a war zone.
For more than a year, U.S. warships have been shooting down missiles and drones off the coast of Yemen. In October 2023, the destroyer USS Carney spent nine hours shooting down four Houthi cruise missiles and another 15 drones.
Since January, U.S. and British forces have struck targets inside Yemen using a variety of aircraft including the B-2 Spirit.
On Saturday and Sunday, the U.S. Navy and Air Force launched several airstrikes on weapons storage areas within Houthi-controlled territory, Ryder said on Tuesday. The Marine Corps’ F-35C Joint Strike Fighter was among the U.S. aircraft involved in the airstrikes.
“These facilities housed a variety of advanced, conventional weapons used by the Iran-backed Houthis to target U.S. and international military and civilian vessels navigating international waters in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” Ryder said.
Despite the U.S. military’s best efforts, the Houthis have retained a large arsenal, and Monday’s attacks show the Iranian-backed rebels have plenty of missiles and drones at their disposal.
CORRECTION: 11/21/2024; this story was been corrected to make clear that Marine Corps F-35C aircraft were used in airstrikes against Houthi targets.
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