Yemeni Houthis Target U.S. Aircraft Carrier, Destroyers

The Yemeni Armed Forces reported conducting two extended military operations targeting U.S. naval forces, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and two destroyers, in separate attacks in the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea.

These actions, lasting approximately eight hours, were described by Yemeni forces as responses to U.S. military presence and activities near Yemeni waters.

Brigadier General Yahya Sare’e, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, stated that the first operation in the Arabian Sea targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) using a combination of cruise missiles and drones. According to Sare’e, the Yemeni forces launched this assault while U.S. forces were allegedly preparing operations against Yemeni territory. He asserted that Yemeni forces prevented a U.S. aerial attack during the encounter.

In a subsequent attack in the Red Sea, Yemeni forces reported targeting two U.S. destroyers with missile and drone strikes. Yemeni officials attributed increased regional militarization to U.S. and British activities in the Red Sea, arguing that these nations are heightening tensions and affecting international navigation. The Yemeni Armed Forces framed these operations as part of a broader stance against Western support for Israel amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.

The Yemeni military’s statement also warned of continued operations targeting U.S. and allied interests unless the blockade and hostilities against Gaza are lifted and attacks on Lebanon cease. Yemeni forces have conducted multiple strikes since the beginning of hostilities in Gaza in October 2023, reportedly as support for Palestinians and in opposition to Israeli and Western actions in the region.

The U.S. Navy and Air Force responded with several Overnight Strikes on Tuesday, against Houthi Weapon Storage Facilities in Western Yemen; with the F-35C Multirole Stealth Strike Fighter seeing its Combat Debut, as Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314), stationed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), participated in the Strikes.

According to the Pentagon, on Monday, the U.S. destroyers USS Stockdale and USS Spruance were targeted near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait by Yemeni forces using drones and various anti-ship missiles, which were intercepted by the destroyers’ Aegis defense systems. No damage or injuries were reported. In response, the U.S. Navy and Air Force conducted retaliatory strikes on Houthi weapon storage facilities in western Yemen, with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 participating in these operations from the USS Abraham Lincoln.