Photo: AP

The US military has attacked radar sites in Yemen after a US warship in the Red Sea came under missile attack for the second time in days, the BBC reports.

The Pentagon said initial assessments showed that three radar sites involved in the recent missile launches had been destroyed.

It said the targeted sites were on territory controlled by Iranian-allied Houthi rebels.

The Pentagon said the strikes had been authorised by President Barack Obama.

The attack was carried out using Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from the destroyer USS Nitze, according to US officials.

“These limited self-defence strikes were conducted to protect our personnel, our ships, and our freedom of navigation in this important maritime passageway,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said.

“The United States will respond to any further threat to our ships and commercial traffic, as appropriate.”