A cruise missile launched by the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea narrowly missed a US destroyer on Tuesday night, coming within a mile before being shot down. This incident marks the closest a Houthi attack has come to a US warship. The USS Gravely used its Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) for the first time, an automated machine gun designed for close-range intercepts.
Despite US and British strikes on Houthi infrastructure inside Yemen, the rebels remain a significant threat to naval assets and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The recent close call follows a drone attack by Iran-backed militants that resulted in the death of three US service members in Jordan.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned the “reckless and illegal attacks” and implicated Iran in providing advanced weaponry and support to the Houthi rebels. While concerns arise over the proximity of the missile to the US warship, experts highlight the challenge of responding swiftly in narrow waterways.
The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, continue to launch missiles and drones at vessels in the Red Sea. The US Central Command reported the successful destruction of a surface-to-air missile, emphasizing ongoing tensions in the region. As the US weighs responses, officials emphasize the avoidance of military escalation with Iran.
