Overview

• A Houthi missile attack on the USS Gravely, a US Navy destroyer, in the Red Sea triggered the ship's last line of defense, the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, marking the first use of this system against a Houthi missile.
• The missile, identified as a cruise missile, came within 1 mile of the USS Gravely, making it the closest a Houthi missile has come to hitting a US warship.
• The Phalanx system, which can fire up to 4,500 20-millimeter rounds a minute, successfully destroyed the incoming missile seconds before impact, preventing any injuries or damage to the ship.
• Following the attack, the US and European Union have increased their defense capabilities in the region, with the US targeting Houthi assets in Yemen and the EU planning a naval mission to protect cargo ships in the Red Sea.
• Houthi attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea have escalated, with the group launching over 30 missile and drone attacks since November.