Updated 17:00 EST.

In a marked escalation of the maritime attacks emanating from Yemen since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, an American warship and several commercial vessels were attacked by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea Sunday.

Reports out of the Middle East say United States Ship Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class guided missile destroyer, faced down anti-ship missiles and drones fired from rebel-controlled Yemen. The destroyer was responding to a distress call from a British-owned commercial vessel that earlier was hit and severely damaged in the area.

An American intelligence official told the Associated Press that the attacks began about 10 a.m. local time and lasted for as much as five hours. In a statement released late Sunday, the U.S. Central Command said there were four attacks against three separate commercial vessels in the area. All were in international waters at the time, the statement said, and the Carney responded to their distress calls.

Around noon, the Carney successfully shot down a drone launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen headed in its direction. There was no damage to the American warship or injuries to personnel, according to the statement. Two subsequent attacks against commercial vessels followed, and the Carney shot down another Houthi drone before the altercation ended.

“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security,” the Central Command statement said. “They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world. We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran. The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners.”

In a statement released on social media channels Sunday evening local time, the Houthi rebels claimed they targeted two of the commercial ships passing between Yemen and Djibouti and said they would continue to attack Israeli ships passing through the area.

“The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red and Arab seas until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza strip stops,” the statement said.

The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations agency warned companies earlier on Sunday to exercise caution in the region after it said it received reports of a drone attack and possible explosions on ships in the Bab el-Mandab strait.

The Houthi rebels identified the first vessel attacked as the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer, which is owned by a British firm that includes Dan David Ungar, who lives in Israel, as one of its officers. The second was a Panamanian-flagged container ship called Number 9, which is linked to Bernhard Schulte Ship Management.

Israeli media identified Mr. Ungar as being the son of Israeli shipping billionaire Abraham “Rami” Ungar. A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday that one of the ships was “significantly damaged” and at risk of sinking. The other was damaged slightly.

The busy shipping route at the mouth of the Red Sea has become an increasingly treacherous passage for commercial vessels since the war in Israel began two months ago. In November, Houthi rebels hijacked a transport ship off the coast of Yemen and still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles have also landed near other American warships in the area.

In October, the Carney was responsible for shooting down at least four cruise missiles and more than a dozen drones fired toward Israel from Yemen.

Among those in Washington calling for a more aggressive response to the provocations by the Houthis is a former CIA chief and defense secretary, Leon Panetta, who served during the Obama administration.

During a panel discussion Saturday evening at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Mr. Panetta said the Biden administration’s retaliation to Houthis and others in the region who have been targeting American troops, both on the ground and at sea, has been to date “a little too selective.”

“I want to go after those who are firing missiles at our troops and make sure they understand that when they fire a missile — they are going to die,” Mr. Panetta said.