2014 Yemen Civil War

F-35C Lightning II in the 2014 Yemen Civil War

U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning IIs from VMFA-314 flew carrier-based strikes from USS Abraham Lincoln against Houthi weapons-storage facilities in Yemen in November 2024.

Weapon profileF-35C Lightning II
SideUnited StatesRoleLong-Range StrikeInterdiction
F-35C Lightning II, Carrier-based stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs - 2014 Yemen Civil War
Image source: File:240726-N-BI507-1251.jpg

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
U.S. Marine Corps F-35C aircraft were used in the 2014 Yemen Civil War.

Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

VMFA-314 operated the aircraft from USS Abraham Lincoln with Carrier Air Wing 9.

Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

The documented strikes hit Houthi weapons-storage facilities in Houthi-controlled Yemen on November 9-10, 2024.

Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

The public source material does not identify the exact munitions, coordinates, or battle-damage assessment.

Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

Timeline

F-35C Lightning II In 2014 Yemen Civil War

  1. F-35C strikes begin against Houthi storage facilities

    VMFA-314 F-35Cs aboard USS Abraham Lincoln began the November 9-10 strike period against Houthi weapons-storage facilities in Yemen.

    Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

  2. NAVCENT announces first F-35C combat strikes

    U.S. Naval Forces Central Command published the official account identifying the aircraft, squadron, carrier, target category, and Houthi-controlled Yemen strike context.

    Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes

  3. DVIDS republishes the strike account

    DVIDS carried the official story with the same VMFA-314, USS Abraham Lincoln, and Houthi weapons-storage facility details.

    Sources: DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The F-35C Lightning II is documented in the 2014 Yemen Civil War through U.S. Marine Corps operations from USS Abraham Lincoln. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that F-35C aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 conducted the platform's first combat air strikes on November 9-10, 2024.

The official account said VMFA-314, assigned to Carrier Air Wing 9 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, carried out multiple strikes against Houthi weapons-storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. It identified the facilities as storage sites for conventional weapons, including anti-ship missiles, linked to attacks on U.S. and international military and civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

Timeline

On November 9, 2024, U.S. Navy imagery tied to the same deployment showed VMFA-314 F-35C flight operations aboard USS Abraham Lincoln in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The strike account covers a November 9-10 operation window.

On November 18 and 20, 2024, U.S. military public-affairs channels published the strike account, identifying the aircraft variant, squadron, carrier, target category, and Yemen location.

Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Flight Operations

Narrative

The documented F-35C role was a U.S. carrier-based strike mission rather than a transfer, possession, or deployment by a Yemeni party. The public record identifies the operator as U.S. Marine Corps VMFA-314 and the launch platform as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

The targets publicly identified in the official release were Houthi weapons-storage facilities in Yemen. The release connected those facilities to Houthi conventional weapons, including anti-ship missiles, used against vessels operating in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The available official reporting does not identify the exact munitions released by the F-35Cs, individual target coordinates, or post-strike battle-damage assessment. Those details are therefore not included in this record.

Sources: NAVCENT F-35C Houthi Strikes, DVIDS F-35C Combat Strikes

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Sources