Wednesday night, the Arleigh Burke-class Aegis-equipped guided-missile destroyer USS Carney engaged three cruise missiles and approximately eight drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists operating in Yemen. The missiles were all destroyed, as were the drones. The Carney incident is covered starting at 1:15 in the video below.
Key Facts
The USS Carney is part of the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group. The Ford was on station in the Mediterranean when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on October 7 and slaughtered over a thousand civilians. The Ford was on the cusp of rotating home upon being relieved by the USS Eisenhower carrier strike group. The Ford's stay has since been extended.
The Carney transited through Suez into the Red Sea on Wednesday afternoon.
It appears that the Carney has been detached from the Ford CSG and is now working with the group ordered to the Red Sea on Tuesday: Pentagon Issues 'Prepare to Deploy' Orders to 2,000 US Troops.
The Carney was not under attack. It was in the area of the Houthi missile launch, serendipitously or not so much, and engaged outbound Houthi missiles. In theory, the missiles could have been headed toward Israel. Realistically, they were probably heading in the direction of Saudi Arabia. This was the first time a US warship has engaged a Houthi cruise missile.
Speculation
The purpose of these forces is to deter other groups, especially Iranian-backed proxies like the Houthis and Lebanese Hezbollah, as well as Iran itself, from attacking Israel. As Defense Spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said, " to protect our partners and our interests in this important region.” The decision to engage the Houthi missiles was a clear sign to the Houthi puppetmaster, Iran, that the US was prepared to act aggressively to keep the fighting confined to Gaza.
While the engagement was clearly meant to signal Iran to back off, in my opinion, it was also an offering to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the linchpin in the Abraham Accords, which seem to be rapidly unraveling after the "hospital bombing."
In addition to showing our intent, the incident clearly demonstrates what the US Navy can do if it takes a break from being woke and focuses on its mission. Missiles and drones were engaged from the sea and shot down.
During the Vietnam War, there was a saying about using military force as a demonstration of intent. It was, "If you want to send a message, use Western Union." It will take more than shooting down missiles that don't belong to Iran to deter Iran if, and it is a big if (Reality Sets in and Iran Walks Back Its Threat to Enter the Israel-Hamas War), it decides to enter the fray. Based on our past experience with Iran, I'd say that we can expect them to do something to show the Houthis, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah that they aren't intimidated.
Something about this story just doesn’t pass the proverbial sniff test.
It is 1,300 straight line miles from Yemen to Israel; add in the Red Sea path claimed, and you add another approximately 200 miles. So, the claim is around 1,500 +/- miles.
The Raytheon built Tomahawk cruise missile, with GPS enabling, some of the most advanced cruise missile tech in the world, has a max targeting distance of 1,000 miles [LINK]. How the hell did Yemen get missiles and drones capable of flying 1,500 targeted miles?
Additionally, if Yemen had this level of missile technology available, the Houthi rebels would have flown them at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over the past decade during their war.
Now that I have shared that context, look carefully at how the statements are worded (emphasis mine).
(VIA ABC) – The USS Carney, a Navy destroyer in the Red Sea, on Thursday shot down multiple missiles launched by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen that the Pentagon said were potentially headed toward targets in Israel.
The ship intercepted three land attack cruise missiles and about eight drones, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press briefing.
The preliminary U.S. assessment was that the USS Carney was not the target of any of the Houthi missiles or drones.
Information about the engagements was still being processed, Ryder said. “We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting but they were launched from Yemen heading north along the Red Sea potentially to targets in Israel.
It’s unclear from where the Houthi militia’s missiles were fired but they were headed in a northerly direction, an official said.
The incident occurred during the early evening hours Thursday local time and the missiles were taken down over water, not land, the Pentagon said.
The missiles fired by the Houthis were engaged by SM2 missiles carried aboard the USS Carney, an official said. (read more)
[Source]
On the afternoon before pudding brain gives his national address on the Israeli war, the Pentagon is reporting on a fleet of missiles and drones, eleven in total, flying from Yemen to Israel, thereby exceeding the capacity of U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile systems by 50%. 
You buying this?
…Oh, AND they collectively would have flown over Egypt to arrive in Israel if not intercepted.
Sorry, I don’t mean to sound like a conspiracy nut, but this just doesn’t add up. This sounds like the seeds of an expanded war narrative to me.
In combination with the ‘couched’ Pentagon statement, Suspicious Cat remains, well, suspicious.
