--- title: "USS Carney Defends Itself From Missile Attack, Tanker Reportedly Hit" description: "A U.S. Navy destroyer was forced to defend itself today after it came under direct attack from a Houthi [anti-ship ballistic missile]() (ASBM). According to one U.S. military source, this is the first time a U.S. warship has been unequivocally…" date: "2024-01-26" modified: "2024-01-26" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick" url: "https://www.twz.com/uss-carney-defends-itself-from-missile-attack-tanker-reportedly-hit" categories: - "Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles" - "Arleigh Burke Class" - "Around The Globe" - "Destroyers" - "Middle East" - "Naval Munitions" - "Navies" - "News & Features" - "Sea" - "Terrorism" - "U.S. Navy" - "Yemen" tags: - "gaza" - "israel" --- # USS Carney Defends Itself From Missile Attack, Tanker Reportedly Hit ![]() *(U.S. Navy)* A U.S. Navy destroyer was forced to defend itself today after it came under direct attack from a Houthi [anti-ship ballistic missile]() (ASBM). According to one U.S. military source, this is the first time a U.S. warship has been unequivocally targeted by the Yemen-based militants since the start of [Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip](), although this appears to be at odds with some previous statements. Regardless, in the last two days, the U.S. Navy has been called into action more than once as the Houthis keep up their campaign directed primarily against shipping in and around the Red Sea, leading to significant disruption to global trade. ![]() *USS *Carney* underway. *U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Apprentice Charles A. Ordoqui** At approximately 1:30 p.m. (Sanaa time) today, the Houthis fired a single ASBM from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen toward the *Arleigh Burke* class destroyer [USS *Carney*]() (DDG-64) in the Gulf of Aden, [according to]() U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The missile was successfully shot down by USS *Carney*, with no injuries or damage reported. https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1750873016173560235 USS *Carney* has previously engaged Houthi missiles and drones on numerous occasions. It was the first warship to down Houthi weapons in the conflict when it used [SM-2 missiles](), and potentially other effectors to destroy multiple Houthi drones and missiles fired toward Israel in October. You can read more about those engagements [here](). *Photos showing apparent debris from an SM-2 or SM-6 missile, of the kind used by the U.S. Navy to intercept Houthi missiles and drones:* https://twitter.com/fab\_hinz/status/1750565792523948165 While the original CENTCOM statement didn’t make it immediately clear whether the USS *Carney* was the specific target of the ASBM fired today, a U.S. official subsequently [said]() that the action was “the first time the Houthis \[have\] directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their attacks on shipping in October.” ![]() *Key anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) used by their Houthis, and their basic attributes. *©2023, The International Institute for Strategic Studies, originally published on https://iiss.org/online-analysis/military-balance/2024/01/houthi-anti-ship-missile-systems-getting-better-all-the-time/ (reproduced with permission)** This seems to contradict previous accounts of an attack directed against the USS *Laboon* (DDG-58), on January 14. Reportedly, this was the first time the Pentagon said a U.S. warship was specifically targeted. On that occasion, however, the Houthi anti-ship cruise missile [was shot down by a land-based fighter](), rather than by the warship itself. Either way, as with today’s CENTCOM statement regarding the USS *Carney*, the Pentagon has tended to downplay the way it reports Houthi attacks in the region, apparently to avoid escalating the conflict further. With that in mind, there could have been previous incidents in which the Houthis directly targeted U.S. warships, but which were not disclosed at the time. British officials also indicated that the U.K. Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS *Diamond* may have come under Houthi attack earlier this month, as you can read about [here](). https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/1744987885747445995 It remains to be seen whether today’s revelation will see a change in posture from the U.S. Navy and the other participants in [Operation Prosperity Guardian](), the task force that protects maritime traffic in the Red Sea. The requirement for this protection shows no signs of diminishing. Reports this evening emerged of a vessel on fire in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel, apparently a British oil tanker, was hit by a missile, according to British maritime security firm [Ambrey](), although none of the crew were said to be hurt. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of an incident 60 nautical miles southeast of Yemen’s Aden. https://twitter.com/UK\_MTO/status/1750958694534123730 The Houthis have issued a [statement]() claiming that their naval forces successfully hit “the British oil tanker *Marlin Luanda*” in the Gulf of Aden, causing a fire to break out. The militants used “a number of appropriate naval missiles, the strike was direct,” a Houthi military spokesperson said. https://twitter.com/fab\_hinz/status/1750959026584563888 The attempted attacks on the USS *Carney* and on the *Marlin Luanda* come after two U.S.-flagged and owned cargo ships, M/V *Maersk Detroit* and M/V *Maersk Chesapeake*, [were also targeted]() by Houthi ASBMs in the Red Sea yesterday. The vessels were attempting to enter the Southern Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait when they came under attack. Ship-tracking websites revealed that the cargo ships turned around and headed back to the Gulf of Aden. https://twitter.com/MilitaryEye/status/1750609507674132634 Two of the ASBMs [were shot down]() by the *Arleigh Burke* class destroyer USS *Gravely* (DDG-107), while a third missile reportedly came down in the water near the cargo ships. Again, there were no reports of damage or injuries. https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1750205198067237095 Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi has vowed that the Yemen-based militant group would keep up its campaign to target shipping in and around the Red Sea. In a televised speech yesterday, al-Houthi [said]() that U.S.-led military efforts directed against the Houthis would not affect “our will and determination.” https://twitter.com/TehranTimes79/status/1750574970483122674 The Houthi anti-shipping campaign, which has made use of [ballistic missiles, cruise missiles,]() and drones, was launched in response to Israel’s war in Gaza and, initially at least, claimed to target Israel-linked shipping. However, those arguments have become increasingly tenuous and U.S. and allied warships are now also seen as legitimate targets. https://twitter.com/detresfa\_/status/1750459680588234818?s=12 Al-Houthi said that the current campaign would continue until aid reaches the Palestinian people in Gaza. Earlier this week, as the attacks on Red Sea shipping continued, the United States and the United Kingdom launched a second round of strikes on Houthi targets. You can read more about those strikes [here](). ![]() *USS *Dwight D. Eisenhowe*r (CVN-69) conducts flight operations in response to increased Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, on January 22, 2024. *U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kaitlin Watt** Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will meet China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss the Houthi attacks. U.S. officials [confirmed]() that Sullivan was flying to Thailand to meet Wang. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry [said earlier this week]() that Beijing has been in “close communication with all parties concerned and making positive efforts to de-escalate” the situation in the Red Sea. [*Readers* now reports]() that China has reached out to Iran and requested they rein in their Houthi proxies, with a warning that key business between Tehran and Beijing, including large sums of oil exports, are at risk. China has so far totally sat out from intervening in the crisis around the Red Sea, opting to not take part in any maritime action to secure the critical shipping artery. Now we will have to wait and see if China's warning to Iran will actually work to deescalate the crisis. At this point, it appears to be the only thing that has a shot at doing so. *Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()