Houthi Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile Misses U.S Aircraft Carrier by Just 200 Meters

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – A publication from the United States Military Academy claims that a ballistic anti-ship missile (ASBM) launched by Houthi fighters narrowly missed the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In an article published in CTC Sentinel, the monthly journal of the Combating Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy, it was reported that the Houthi fighters achieved a significant milestone with the use of the ASBM.

“According to available information, the missile, launched by the Houthis, evaded interception and detonated approximately 200 meters from the aircraft carrier USS *Dwight D. Eisenhower*,” the article stated.

The report cited intelligence officials from both the United States and the United Kingdom as sources for this information.

In May, the Houthis claimed to have launched an ASBM targeting the USS Dwight D.Eisenhower as it sailed through the Red Sea.

The aircraft carrier operated in the Red Sea from November last year until June this year, before returning to the United States.

When asked about the Houthi claims, a senior US military official dismissed them as unsubstantiated rumors.

During its Red Sea deployment, the Dwight D. Eisenhower was escorted by the cruiser USS Philippine Sea, as well as the destroyers USS Gravely and USS Mason.

Additionally, two more destroyers, USS Laboon and USS Carney, accompanied the carrier during its operations.

These warships provided air cover, protecting the carrier from aerial threats, including hostile aircraft, suicide drones, and missile attacks.

On December 15 of last year, Houthi forces reportedly fired two Khalije Fars ASBMs at the commercial vessel MV Palatium 3, which was transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea near Yemen.

This incident marked what is believed to be the first successful use of an ASBM against a moving ship in open waters.

The Houthis’ ability to hit the MV Palatium 3, considered a “small target,” was seen as a notable achievement.

The missile strike ignited a fire on the vessel, causing significant damage.

The Iranian-backed Houthi group is believed to have received ASBM systems from Tehran, likely as part of efforts to counter US and allied naval forces in the region.

The group has also warned that it would target any commercial ships in the Red Sea bound for Israel’s Eilat port.

The ASBM used in the attack on the MV Palatium 3 was identified as the “Khalije Fars,” a single-stage, solid-propellant missile with a range of up to 300 kilometers.

Iranian media reports indicate that the missile carries a 650-kilogram warhead and is resistant to jamming attempts.

The “Khalije Fars,” publicly unveiled in 2011, is based on the Fateh-110 missile platform. Launched from mobile platforms, the missile is equipped with advanced targeting technology, enabling it to independently locate and engage targets.

With an internal navigation system, the missile is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 4. — DSA