The United States Navy released videos showing its destroyers firing interceptors to bring down Iranian ballistic missiles in defense of Israel from the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday. Destroyers USS Bulkeley and USS Cole fired a dozen interceptors against the incoming Iranian ballistic missiles to help defend Israel. The warships were stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and engaged “multiple” Iranian ballistic missiles. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran claimed that the attacks were conducted due to the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and other high-profile figures.
The Israel Defense Forces said that the air defense systems of Israel and the U.S. operated effectively to engage 180 ballistic missiles fired from Iran. Some missiles hit Israeli air bases, but no Israeli air force aircraft were damaged. Iran launched around 200 ballistic missiles targeting several locations in Israel, with the outcomes of the destroyers’ interception still being assessed. The Sixth Fleet confirmed that the destroyers, USS Bulkeley and USS Cole, are Arleigh Burke-class and equipped with the Aegis weapons system and interceptors designed for ballistic missile defense.
The Aegis weapons system is a centralized, automated, command-and-control system designed for total weapon control. By integrating sensors and weapons, it provides an integrated air and missile defense. The destroyers used the Standard Missile 3 during the engagement with the Iranian missiles. The interceptor is designed to destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles using sheer force, rather than an explosive warhead. This was not the first time the Standard Missile 3 was used in combat, as it was also used during the April Iranian strikes against Israel.
The U.S.-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance reported that the Standard Missile 3 costs between $9.7 million to $27.9 million apiece, depending on the variant. The Block IB variant has an upgraded steering and propulsion capability, while the Block IIA variant, developed with Japan, is capable of defending broader areas and has a larger, enhanced kinetic warhead to hit ballistic missile threats. The destroyers USS Arleigh Burke and USS Carney also used the Standard Missile 3 during previous engagements with incoming Iranian ballistic missiles. The interceptors have been successful in engaging multiple Iranian ballistic missiles in defense of Israel.
The U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet confirmed the engagement of destroyers USS Cole and USS Bulkeley against Iranian ballistic missiles in defense of Israel. The destroyers were equipped with Aegis weapons systems and interceptors designed for ballistic missile defense. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran claimed responsibility for the missile attacks, citing the assassinations of high-profile figures as the reason behind the strikes. The U.S. Navy and Israel Defense Forces collaborated to effectively engage the incoming ballistic missiles, preventing damage to Israeli air bases and aircraft.
