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By Gem O'Reilly (BBC News)

A US Navy warship has intercepted missiles and drones launched from Yemen by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, US officials say.

A Pentagon spokesman said the missiles had been launched "potentially towards targets in Israel".

The USS Carney, a guided-missile destroyer, was operating in the northern Red Sea on Thursday.

Washington is on alert for activity by Iran-backed groups as Israel continues to attack Hamas targets in Gaza.

The Pentagon's Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said three land attack cruise missiles and several drones had been downed.

There were no injuries reported from the incident and a US official said the warship did not appear to be the target.

"We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen, heading north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel," he told reporters.

The US has sent two aircraft carriers, about 2,000 marines and support ships to the Middle East in the past week.

Brig Ryder added that information about the nature of the activity was "still being processed".

"Our defensive response was one that we would have taken for any similar threat in the region where we're able to do so against our interest personnel and our partners," he said.

"This attack may be ongoing, so if we have more information to share, we will." (BBC).