On November 12, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the successful thwarting of a Houthi attack involving multiple drones and missiles targeting two American destroyers as they transited the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder told reporters that the vessels were targeted using eight drones, five anti-ship ballistic missiles, and three cruise missiles, all of which were intercepted successfully.

Earlier, the Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that their forces targeted the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and the two destroyers in the Red Sea.

This incident follows a report from the British Maritime Trade Operations, which indicated that a vessel 70 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, reported several explosions nearby.

Since October, the Houthis have continued their missile and drone assaults on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Gulf of Aden.

In response to these threats and to safeguard maritime navigation, the United States formed a multinational coalition in December 2023 and has periodically conducted strikes against Houthi military targets.