The U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman faced a targeted attack by Houthi militants in the Red Sea on June 10, 2024, shortly after an official statement by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding continued American support for Israel and its allies. According to at least four independent security and military sources, the carrier was intercepted by projectiles and drones launched by Iranian-backed Houthi forces based in Yemen, highlighting a growing risk to international shipping and Western military assets in the region.
Lede and Immediate Incident
The attempted attack occurred mere hours after the U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to defending regional partners against Iranian-directed aggression. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the Truman and its supporting fleet successfully intercepted several inbound threats via advanced anti-missile technology. No casualties or significant damage were reported. The Houthis asserted through their official channels that the strike was a direct response to ongoing American and Israeli operations targeting Iranian-backed networks in the region.
Escalating Proxy War
The attack forms part of a wider campaign orchestrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran, which arms and directs proxies such as the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon to undermine Israeli security and challenge U.S. presence in the Middle East. The Red Sea, and in particular the Bab el-Mandeb strait, represents a crucial chokepoint for global commerce and naval operations, with regional instability posing a significant threat to maritime safety and the free flow of goods.
Since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 massacre—the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—Israel has been engaged in the Iron Swords War, defending against a multifront campaign imposed by Iran’s regional proxies. The conflict has seen repeated missile, drone, and cyber attacks targeting both Israeli and Western interests by these Iranian-backed forces. Intelligence assessments indicate that Tehran has provided the Houthis with advanced missile technology, military doctrine, and funding, enabling them to expand their influence and reach.
Strategic, Political, and Military Reactions
The failed Houthi strike on the Truman drew immediate condemnation from Israel, the United States, and partner nations. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz underscored the strategic partnership between Jerusalem and Washington, deeming any strike against American or Israeli assets an escalation deserving an unequivocal response. Senior U.S. defense officials stressed that coordination between the IDF and CENTCOM was critical in thwarting the attack, with intelligence-sharing networks providing early warning to U.S. forces.
Regional reactions were swift. Saudi Arabia and Gulf partners raised concerns about the security of critical waterways, emphasizing the destabilizing effect of Iran’s empowerment of non-state actors. European states aligned with U.S. statements, highlighting that unchecked Iranian expansion threatens not only regional order but also the global economy. Meanwhile, Houthi and Iranian channels hailed the attempted operation as resistance to so-called “Western and Zionist encroachment.”
Context: The Houthi Threat and Iranian Objectives
The Houthis, once an insurgent group in northern Yemen, have evolved into a potent military proxy, equipped with a range of precision-guided munitions—including antiship missiles, drones, and mines. Experts from the United Nations and Western governments have repeatedly traced components of Houthi weaponry to Iranian sources, pointing to direct material support. While their stated objective is opposition to U.S. and Israeli influence, in practice, their operations serve the broader strategic aims of Iran, targeting global shipping lanes and Western naval forces to impose unsustainable security costs on adversaries.
The U.S. and allied naval presence in the Red Sea has thus intensified, with warships equipped to defend against saturated drone and missile assaults. The Truman’s interception of Houthi projectiles is only the latest in a series of engagements underscoring the operational readiness and deterrence posture of U.S. and allied navies.
The Iron Swords War and Ongoing Maritime Tensions
The Iron Swords War, Israel’s response to the October 7 massacre by Hamas, has expanded beyond the borders of Gaza to encompass a region-wide standoff with Iran’s surrogate forces. The incident involving the Truman demonstrates how attacks on American forces are implicitly linked to Iran’s broader war on Israel, with Tehran seeking to divert U.S. resources and challenge Israel’s naval and economic lifelines.
Central Command Commander Gen. Erik Kurilla credited the efficacy of U.S. naval defenses in confronting the Houthi threat, stating that continued provocations would be met with forceful deterrence. U.S. National Security Council officials, in coordination with Israel, began consultations with Gulf states to strengthen common maritime defense strategies and prevent further escalation.
Legal and Moral Clarity
The attack against the Truman, conducted by Iranian-backed militants from Yemeni territory, underscores the profound moral and legal divide between Western democracies defending their citizens, and terror organizations targeting international commerce and civilian shipping. Israel and the United States continue to emphasize the necessity of robust, collective defense in the Red Sea and beyond, highlighting the legal basis for such self-defense under international law.
Looking Forward
This incident amplifies calls among regional and Western states for increased sanctions and international action aimed at cutting off Iranian arms flows to Yemen. Israeli security experts insist that unchecked aggression by the Houthis not only endangers Israel’s immediate security, but also threatens the mechanisms that underpin global economic stability.
The attempted strike on the USS Truman, while tactically unsuccessful, vividly captures the stakes as Israel and its partners respond to coordinated, Iran-directed assaults on international order. As the conflict persists, the United States and Israel remain committed to thwarting Iranian ambitions and ensuring that the Red Sea and its surrounding regions do not succumb to a campaign of terror and destabilization.
