Washington - Three missiles and several drones fired from Yemen were intercepted by a US Navy warship on Thursday, the Pentagon reported.

USS Carney, a Navy destroyer in the northern Red Sea, intercepted three land attack cruise missiles and several drones launched by Houthi forces in Yemen, according to Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder. He said they were shot down over the water.

During a Pentagon briefing, Ryder told reporters that "we cannot say for sure what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen, possibly at Israeli targets." The missiles did not target the ship, according to US officials. That official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations that had not yet been announced.

Based on the trajectory of the missiles, Ryder said the US shot them down because they posed a potential threat. He said it is ready "to protect our partners and our interests in this important region." As of now, the US is assessing its target. He said no US forces or civilians on the ground were injured.

Israel has been threatened by Houthi rebels backed by Iran. Last week, in Yemen's Sanaa, which is held by the Houthi rebels still at war with a Saudi-led coalition, demonstrators crowded the streets waving Yemeni and Palestinian flags. The rebels' slogan long has been, "God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse of the Jews; victory to Islam."

Last week, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, the rebel group's leader, warned the United States against intervening in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, threatening that his forces would retaliate by firing drones and missiles.

When approached Thursday, two Houthi officials declined to comment on the incident. One said he was unaware of the incident, while the second said he did not have the authority to speak about it.