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In a dramatic encounter last November, the USS Stockdale, a US Navy destroyer, successfully shot down a Houthi drone using its five-inch deck gun while operating in the Red Sea. Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command, disclosed details of the incident during the WEST 2025 conference this week.
The attack began with the Houthis launching several ballistic missiles from Yemen towards the destroyer. The Stockdale's crew initially thwarted these attacks, but Houthi forces escalated the conflict, firing an anti-ship cruise missile and multiple drones. US fighter jets and warships responded, neutralizing the threats with air strikes and interception efforts.
Around 2 a.m. local time, a low-flying drone approached the Stockdale, prompting a kill order from the crew. Despite initial doubts about their chances of success, the crew managed to down the drone while eliciting cheers from the ship's personnel. According to Cooper, the incident is one of many where US forces have engaged successfully against Houthi attacks, which have included over 140 assaults on commercial vessels and over 170 strikes on US military assets in recent months.