US Navy thwarts Houthi attack on destroyers after strikes involving F-35Cs on rebels

The US Navy has thwarted several Houthi attacks on American warships in the Red Sea.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels used at least eight drones, five anti-ship ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles in the attack aimed at the USS Stockdale and the USS Spruance.

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Major General Pat Ryder said the US vessels shot down the missiles and drones.

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The ships suffered no damage and there were no injuries, he added.

The Houthis also claimed to have "successfully" bombarded the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with a number of cruise missiles but this was denied by the US.

The attack came after US Navy and Air Force aircraft carried out strikes on multiple Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen over the weekend.

Maj Gen Ryder said the bases housed "a variety of advanced conventional weapons" used by the Houthis to target US and international military and civilian ships in the region.

F-35Cs were among the aircraft involved in the strikes – believed to be the first combat mission by the C variant of the fifth-generation stealth fighter.

US Central Command posted footage on social media of fighter jets, including an F-35C, launching from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln to take part in operations against the Houthis.

Separately, the US has also conducted a series of strikes against targets with links to Iran in Syria.

The strikes were carried out in response to attacks on US personnel who are in the region as part of anti-IS coalition.

No US personnel were injured in the attacks that prompted the retaliation.

General Michael Eric Kurilla, Central Command Commander, said in a statement posted on X that the "message is clear".

"Attacks against US and coalition partners in the region will not be tolerated," he said.

"We will continue to take every step necessary to protect our personnel and coalition partners and respond to reckless attacks."