USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group will leave the eastern Mediterranean Sea in 'coming days' and return to its home Naval Station - Norfolk, Virginia.

U.S. Navy intercepts Iran coastal missiles

The U.S. Navy launched anti-ship missiles to intercept missiles fired by the Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea, signaling a major escalation in the region, a senior defense official told Fox News.

The US Navy intercepted 3 ballistic missiles supplied by Iran to the Houthis in Yemen. It was the first time the Navy had intercepted an attacking ballistic missile using an anti-ship ballistic missile.

The U.S. military's Central Command said the destroyer USS Labone and other warships from the task force accompanying the aircraft carrier Eisenhower's Carrier Strike Group shot down 12 suicide drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles and two surface-to-surface missiles launched by the Houthis during a period of 12 hours.

Iran has recently claimed that it is developing "smart" cruise missiles for its naval military arsenal. Also, nearly 100 drones launched by the Houthis have been shot down since October 17. The Houthi militia has attacked more than 21 international ships in the region, disrupting global shipping.

U.S. Navy deploys missile destroyer Laboon to Middle East

The U.S. Navy missile destroyer Laboon has been deployed to the US 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure security in the Middle East, the US Central Command said.

"USS Laboon transits the Suez Canal, December 18. Laboon is deployed to the US 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region," the command said on X (formerly Twitter).

On December 15, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered extending the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea for a few more days. According to the Associated Press, the defense secretary's decision was driven by instability in the region that was caused by Israel's war in Gaza. This is the third time the aircraft carrier’s deployment in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea has been extended, the AP said.

The Washington Post reported that US forces in the Middle East have been subjected to at least 76 attacks by militants since October 17 amid the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.