Videos show US Navy destroyers intercepting Iran's ballistic missiles

The US Navy released videos on Tuesday showing its destroyers firing interceptors to shoot down Iranian ballistic missiles defending Israel off the Mediterranean.

According to Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the destroyers are USS Bulkeley and USS Cole fired a dozen interceptors against incoming Iranian ballistic missiles to help defend Israel. The US Navy's Sixth Fleet later confirmed that the warships were stationed in the eastern Mediterranean and had fired on “multiple” Iranian ballistic missiles.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that the attacks were carried out in connection with the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, as well as the killings of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC General Abbas Nilforushan.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Israeli and US air defense systems worked effectively to deter 180 ballistic missiles fired by Iran. Some rockets were confirmed to have hit Israeli air bases, but the hits were ineffective as no Israeli Air Force aircraft were damaged.

According to Ryder, Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles at several locations in Israel. Although the Pentagon was still assessing the results of the destroyers' intercepts, the Sixth Fleet said, “It is believed that several missiles were successfully deployed.”

Both destroyers are Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with the Aegis weapons system and ballistic missile interceptors, the Sixth Fleet added. This class of warships provides what the Navy calls multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities.

According to manufacturer Lockheed Martin, Aegis is a centralized, automated command and control system and weapons control system designed as a total weapon system, from detection to kill. By integrating sensors and weapons, it provides integrated air and missile defense.

USNI News, operated by the US Naval Institute, reported, citing a US official, that the Bulkeley and the Cole used the Standard Missile 3 during the battle with the Iranian missiles.

The interceptor is designed to destroy short- to medium-range ballistic missiles, according to manufacturer Raytheon. Instead of using an explosive warhead, it destroys its target using sheer force, a technique likened to using a bullet to intercept another bullet.

This was not the first time the Standard Missile 3 was used in combat. During the Iranian attacks against Israel in April, the destroyers USS Arleigh Burke and USS Carney According to USNI News, four to seven interceptors were fired at the incoming Iranian ballistic missiles.

According to the US-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, the Standard Missile 3 cost between US$9.7 million (Block IB variant) and US$27.9 million (Block IIA variant) each.

The Block IB has improved guidance and propulsion capabilities, while the Block IIA, developed jointly with Japan, can defend larger areas and has a larger, improved kinetic warhead, also called a “kill vehicle,” to shoot down ballistic missile threats.