Frightening Video
Houthis Threaten to Strike the U.S. Navy | WATCH
Houthis, the Iran-backed rebel group in Yemen, released a video warning the U.S. Navy of potential strikes against its aircraft carriers and warships in the region. The video emphasized the group’s missile capabilities, specifically highlighting their Quds-5 and Al-Mandab missiles as tools to target U.S. naval assets.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels unveiled a propaganda video yesterday threatening targeted attacks on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and warships in the Red Sea, spotlighting their Quds-5 cruise missiles and Al-Mandab anti-ship variants as key weapons in their arsenal. The footage, disseminated via Houthi-aligned media outlets like Al-Masirah TV and SABA news agency, features masked spokespersons vowing to "sink American vessels" if the U.S. intervenes in Yemen or supports Israel amid the fragile Gaza ceasefire.
The release coincides with heightened regional tensions following the October 11 truce, which paused Houthi strikes on shipping but not their rhetoric against the "Zionist entity and its American backers."
The video depicts simulated strikes on naval targets using CGI animations of Quds-5 missiles evading defenses and Al-Mandab projectiles launching from coastal batteries. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree narrated: "Our advanced missiles will turn U.S. carriers into floating graves, as we have the precision to strike from Yemen's shores to the heart of the enemy's fleet." The group framed the threat as a "defensive response" to U.S. strikes on Houthi infrastructure earlier in 2025, including a March campaign that degraded their drone and missile sites.
Missile Capabilities and Historical Context
The Quds-5, a Houthi-modified version of Iran's Quds cruise missile family (unveiled in 2022-2023 parades), is designed for low-altitude, radar-evading flights with an estimated 800-1,350 km range and electro-optical guidance for naval targets. Analysts from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) note its similarity to Iran's Soumar, capable of 50% accuracy within 30 meters, though Houthi variants suffer from inconsistent performance due to supply chain disruptions. The Al-Mandab, named after the Bab al-Mandab Strait, draws from captured Chinese C-801 (YJ-81) and Soviet P-21 systems, with a 40-120 km range for coastal anti-ship roles. These have been used in over 100 attacks since October 2023, but none have successfully struck U.S. vessels.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported intercepting similar threats routinely: On March 15, 2025, USS Gettysburg and USS Harry S. Truman downed multiple Quds variants and drones during a barrage, with no damage. A January 2024 attempt on USS Gravely came within a mile before interception. Failed strikes, like a March 2025 drone swarm on the Truman that led to an accidental F/A-18 loss during evasive maneuvers, underscore Houthi limitations despite Iranian upgrades, including hydrogen fuel cells and Russian optics.
The video's timing follows Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's October 18 speech reaffirming commitment to the "Flood of Al-Aqsa" campaign until Jerusalem's "liberation," despite the Gaza deal pausing attacks on Israel. Yemen's Houthis, controlling Sana'a since 2014, have disrupted $1 trillion in trade by forcing ships around Africa, per Russell Group estimates, with Suez Canal transits dropping 58% from November 2023 to October 2024.
U.S. and Allied Response
The Pentagon dismissed the video as "empty bluster from a sanctioned terrorist group," with spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stating: "Our layered defenses—Aegis, CIWS, and allied patrols—have neutralized every Houthi attempt. Threats won't deter Operation Prosperity Guardian." The coalition, including U.S., UK, and French assets, continues patrols in the Bab al-Mandab, where 200 vessels transited in February 2025 amid elevated freight costs.
Experts warn of escalation risks if Iran bolsters Houthi guidance systems, potentially enabling hits on carriers like the Truman, which operates 1,600 km from Yemen. Washington Institute analysts recommend preemptive strikes on launch sites to signal intolerance.
No immediate U.S. retaliation has been announced, but CENTCOM footage from recent operations shows Tomahawk launches degrading Houthi capabilities.
The Houthis' persistence, even post-ceasefire, ties to broader "axis of resistance" coordination with Hamas and Hezbollah, though their 758 claimed operations against Israel since 2023 yielded minimal impact, all intercepted.