The destroyer USS Stockdale transits in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on Dec 2, 2024. On Dec. 9 and Dec. 10, USS Stockdale and the destroyer USS O'Kane fended off a Houthi attack while protecting three U.S. civilian ships in the Gulf of Aden. (Storm Henry/U.S. Navy)

NAPLES, Italy — Two U.S. Navy destroyers defeated a Houthi militant drone and missile attack earlier this week while escorting merchant ships through the Gulf of Aden, U.S. military officials said.

The multiple one-way drone and single anti-ship cruise missile attack came Monday and Tuesday as USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane were protecting three U.S. flagged, owned and operated ships transiting the gulf, U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

There was no damage to any of the vessels and no one was injured, CENTCOM said Tuesday. The statement didn’t identify the civilian ships under attack.

Last week, USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane shot down three Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, one anti-ship cruise missile and three drones while escorting commercial vessels.

There have been at least 111 reported incidents involving ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen began their campaign in November 2023, according to Joint Maritime Information Center data.

Those attacks have sunk two vessels, left four mariners dead and severely injured two others, according to the center.

The Houthis have said they will continue attacking ships connected to Israel until there is a cease-fire in Gaza. U.S. officials have pointed out that the group has fired indiscriminately on military and civilian ships with no apparent Israeli connection.