Two U.S. Navy destroyers repelled an attack by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on American ships over the weekend, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says.
“U.S. Navy destroyers USS Stockdale and the USS O’Kane successfully defeated a range of Houthi-launched weapons while transiting the Gulf of Aden, Nov. 30-Dec. 1,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “The destroyers were escorting three U.S. owned, operated, flagged merchant vessels and the reckless attacks resulted in no injuries and no damage to any vessels, civilian or U.S. Naval.”
“The destroyers successfully engaged and defeated three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems, and one anti-ship cruise missile, ensuring the safety of the ships and their personnel, as well as civilian vessels and their crews,” the statement continued.
“These actions reflect the ongoing commitment of CENTCOM forces to protect U.S. personnel, regional partners, and international shipping, against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis,” CENTCOM added.
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The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale, shown here in 2013, repelled an attack over the weekend by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. (Hum Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The attack came weeks after U.S. forces conducted retaliatory strikes against Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen.
The facilities targeted in mid-November were all located in Houthi-controlled territories and housed a variety of advanced conventional weapons used by Houthis to target U.S. and other international military – as well as civilian – vessels moving through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
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The guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane makes its way out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 2010. USS O’Kane also helped repel the attack by the Houthis. (MC2 Mark Logico/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
U.S. Air Force and Navy assets, including the F-35C, were used during the operation.
This marked the first time the F-35C stealth strike fighter had ever been used in combat, a U.S. defense official told Fox News.
Houthi rebel fighters march during a rally of support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and against the U.S. strikes on Yemen outside Sanaa on Jan. 22. (AP )
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The strikes also aimed to degrade the group’s ability to threaten partners in the region.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner and Liz Friden contributed to this report.
