Houthi Cruise Missile Comes Within a Mile of US Destroyer in Red Sea
In a startling incident on Tuesday night, a Houthi cruise missile came dangerously close to a US destroyer in the Red Sea, coming within a mile before being shot down. This marks the closest a Houthi attack has come to a US warship, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by the Houthis to US naval assets and commercial shipping in the region.
Typically, previous missile attacks by the Houthis have been intercepted by US destroyers at a range of eight miles or more. However, in this instance, the USS Gravely had to utilize its Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) for the first time since the US began intercepting Houthi missiles late last year. Fortunately, the CIWS, an automated machine gun designed for close-range intercepts, successfully downed the missile.
The fact that the missile was able to get so close to a US warship is concerning to experts. Tom Karako, the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized the time factor involved in such situations. He explained that even slower cruise missiles could cover a mile within seconds, leaving little time for commanders to make decisions. The narrow waterways in the Red Sea further exacerbate this challenge.
The Houthis acquire much of their weapons technology from Iran, which raises concerns about Iran’s involvement in these attacks. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned the “reckless and illegal attacks” against US warships and commercial vessels in the region and pointed out Iran’s role in providing advanced weapons and expertise to the Houthis.
The US has been actively responding to these threats. On Wednesday morning, US forces successfully destroyed a surface-to-air missile that posed a risk to US aircraft operating in the region. Additionally, airstrikes were carried out against 10 Houthi drones and an Iranian-backed Houthi drone ground control station in Yemen. These strikes aim to prevent Houthi weapons from being launched against international shipping lanes and US warships.
Since January 11, the US has conducted multiple strikes inside Yemen targeting Houthi weapons depots, command and control nodes, and storage facilities. While officials have not disclosed the exact impact of these strikes on the Houthis’ weapons capabilities, they continue to disrupt Iran’s attempts to supply the group with weapons and supplies.
Amidst the escalating tensions, the US is carefully considering its response to the recent drone attack in Jordan. Possible options include strikes or cyberattacks targeting certain Iranian or Iran-backed assets in the region. However, US officials have emphasized that they do not seek a military conflict with Iran and are not looking to escalate the situation further.
The situation in the Red Sea remains precarious, with the Houthis persistently launching missiles and drones at vessels. The US, along with its allies, continues to monitor and respond to these threats, aiming to safeguard its naval assets and maintain stability in the region.