The Iranian-backed rebel group, the Houthis, attacked US warships in the Arabian Sea following a series of airstrikes by the US Central Command in Yemen. The rebels claimed to have bombarded the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with cruise missiles, although the US military denies any attacks on the vessel. The Houthis have been targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023, claiming to act in support of the Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US and other nations have launched Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect Red Sea shipping lanes against the Houthis.