Yemen’s Houthis Attack US Destroyers and Merchant Ships in Gulf of Aden

On Tuesday, US Central Command said two US Navy destroyers and three US commercial ships came under an attack launched by Yemen’s Houthis while transiting the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, took credit for the attack, saying they targeted two US destroyers that were accompanying “supply ships.” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the attack “achieved its objectives,” while CENTCOM said the attack was “defeated.”

CENTCOM said the destroyers intercepted multiple drones and one cruise missile. “The reckless attacks resulted in no injuries and no damage to any vessels, civilians, or US Naval,” the command said. The Houthis launched a similar attack about 10 days ago.

Sarea also said the Houthis had launched a drone into Israel, which hit a building in central Israel. “The operation, conducted with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), struck its target accurately,” Sarea said. The Israeli military said the attack caused some damage but no injuries.

The US began bombing Yemen back in January in defense of Israeli shipping from Houthi attacks that started in response to the genocidal war in Gaza. The US bombing campaign has done nothing to deter the Houthis and only escalated the situation as the Yemeni group began targeting US shipping as a result.

From 2015-2022, the US supported a Saudi/UAE war against the Houthis, which involved heavy airstrikes and a blockade, and the Houthis only became a more capable fighting force during that time.

According to the UN, the war killed at least 377,000 people, with more than half dying of starvation and disease caused by the siege. A ceasefire between the Houthis and Saudis has held relatively well since April 2022, but new US sanctions are blocking the implementation of a lasting peace deal.