Barran Press
On November 13, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the deployment of F-35C fighter jets, operated by the U.S. Marine Corps, in recent operations against the Houthi group, which is designated as a terrorist organization internationally.
According to the military-focused outlet "The War Zone," the F-35C fighters launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, marking the first combat use of these jets on carriers. Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder confirmed during a press briefing that U.S. Central Command conducted a series of precise airstrikes on November 9 and 10, targeting multiple Houthi weapons storage facilities located in areas controlled by the group.
Ryder stated that these facilities contained a variety of advanced conventional weapons used by the Iran-backed Houthis to target U.S. and international military and civilian vessels operating in the international waters of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
In a subsequent post on X (formerly Twitter), Pentagon editor Brian Everstine noted that the F-35C jets demonstrated their capabilities for the first time in combat alongside U.S. Air Force aircraft during targeted operations against Houthi positions in Yemen.
While the specific munitions used by the F-35C during these strikes remain undisclosed, videos released by U.S. Central Command do not show the aircraft carrying external weapons. However, the F-35C is capable of deploying precision-guided munitions, including 1,000 and 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), 500-pound laser-guided Paveway bombs, and the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW), along with internal missiles like the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).
The F-35B variant has previously been used by the Marine Corps in Afghanistan and the F-35A variant by the Air Force in strikes against targets in Iraq. In 2018, British F-35B jets were also recorded as the only other F-35s to engage in combat missions.
"The War Zone" reported that U.S. military operations in the Red Sea and surrounding areas against the Houthis have already resulted in several firsts in naval aviation. However, the ongoing crisis shows no signs of abating; following the strikes by F-35C and other aircraft over the weekend, the Houthis launched a barrage of anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and suicide drones against two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers accompanying the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group.
Since October, the Houthi group has continued its attacks using missiles and drones against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. In response to these threats and to safeguard maritime navigation, the United States formed a multinational coalition in December 2023, while U.S. forces conducted periodic strikes against Houthi military targets.