U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that two U.S. Navy destroyers, the USS Stockdale and the USS O’Kane, successfully repelled an attack by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on November 30th and December 1st while in the Gulf of Aden.

The destroyers, escorting three American merchant vessels, intercepted and neutralized a series of Houthi weapons, including three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three one-way attack drones, and one anti-ship cruise missile. The statement from CENTCOM emphasized that the attacks caused no damage or injuries to any vessels.

CENTCOM affirmed that this action underscores their commitment to safeguarding U.S. personnel, regional allies, and international shipping from Houthi aggression.

This incident follows retaliatory U.S. strikes on Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen earlier in November. These facilities, located in Houthi-controlled areas, contained advanced weaponry used to target U.S. and other international military and civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The retaliatory operation employed various U.S. Navy assets, including the F-35C stealth fighter jet, marking its first combat deployment, according to a U.S. defense official. The aim was to diminish the Houthi threat to regional partners.

’ Greg Wehner and Liz Friden contributed to this report.