Did the Houthis almost sink a US Navy aircraft carrier?

What you need to know: A new report reveals that earlier this year, a missile launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen came within 200 meters of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a US Navy aircraft carrier. The incident underscores the significant threat posed by the Houthis, who have been attacking international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict last October.

-The near miss raises concerns about the vulnerability of advanced naval assets to non-state actors equipped with drones and missiles, and highlights potential challenges to U.S. naval readiness in confronting sophisticated weaponry from adversaries such as China.

Houthi missile nearly hits USS Eisenhower in nearby incident

Houthi rebels nearly hit a US aircraft carrier with a missile, a new report shows. The incident, which occurred earlier this year but only recently reported in the October issue of the CTC Sentinel (Counter Terrorism Center at West Point’s monthly publication), suggests that the Houthi missile came within just 200 meters of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower . .

“According to some reports, an ASBM (anti-ship ballistic missile) or other missile arrived on a very shallow trajectory, with minimal warning, with no chance of interception, and landed about 200 meters (656 feet)” from the Eisenhower. In other words: it was close.

Attacking the navigation route

The Houthis, which Iran supports, have been attacking international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden since the war between Israel and Hamas began last October. The Eisenhower, along with other North American and European ships, were sent to the region to protect civilian ships traversing the sea lanes.

The Eisenhower, in particular, was quite busy during the deployment, expending “155 surface-to-air missiles, 135 land-attack cruise missiles, nearly 60 air-to-air missiles, and 420 air-to-surface weapons during what is called a combat deployment.” “historic””, reported Newsweek.

But Eisenhower has also been a target. The Houthis, who possess a diverse arsenal including air, land and sea drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, have repressed the American presence in the region. Eisenhower relied on his Carrier Strike Group, which includes a cruiser and destroyers, for protection. “The cruiser and destroyers, which were armed with missiles for air defense, formed a defensive layer to protect the aircraft carrier,” Newsweek reported. “Meanwhile, fighters aboard the carrier, equipped with air-to-air missiles, can shoot down slow-flying drones and missiles.” Fortunately, Eisenhower himself is equipped with self-defense weaponry, including surface-to-air missiles and weapons systems for near-field threats.

However, the fact that low-tech drones and missiles, in the possession of a relatively disorganized terrorist organization, could pose a legitimate threat to a multibillion-dollar American supercarrier should be a point of concern – and speaks to the increased relevance of non-state actors in the order. global post-Cold War. The aircraft carrier is a symbol of a nation’s prestige, military power and technical capacity; That a rebel group armed with drones and missiles could threaten such a symbol perhaps transcends symbolism.

The supercarrier’s vulnerability to Houthi rebels is also expected to exacerbate concerns about naval readiness for a confrontation with China. US strategy in the Indo-Pacific, where China has become increasingly assertive, depends on the success of aircraft carrier deterrence. However, to keep the aircraft carrier fleet safe from China’s sophisticated weaponry (compared to the Houthi), America’s flagship ships can have a low-key impact in any conflict.

But frankly, the U.S. public does not, and should not, have tolerance for the loss of a supercarrier. The human and fiscal cost implied by the loss of just one supercarrier would be a shock to the conscience of a nation that has been able to engage in foreign conflicts in a slow and partially compromised manner for nearly two generations.

About the author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with more than 1,000 articles on global issues. A lawyer, pilot, guitarist and professional hockey player, Harrison joined the United States Air Force as a trainee pilot but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College, a doctorate from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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