CENTCOM stated that a cruise missile attack from U.S. Navy destroyers with BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles hit Houthi command, storage, and production facilities.
The joint attack by the destroyers operating within the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) in the Red Sea with BGM-109 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles was conducted on the 31st of December 2024, CENTCOM stated on X.
Houthi rebels have mostly been the attacking side during the Red Sea insurgency, with a stockpile of kamikaze UAVs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. The cruise missile attack might have been preceded by a long duration of intelligence gathering on Houthi’s important facilities to cripple the attacking capabilities.
The Royal Navy is aiming for a land attack capability similar to the one demonstrated in this attack for its Type 26 frigates through either one of BGM-109 Tomahawk (Mk41 VLS), NSM cruise missiles, or SPEAR 3 missiles. The pursuit started following the experiences in the Red Sea, which led to a desire to perform counter-attacks in addition to existing missile defence capabilities.
