Anti-ship cruise missile

Anti-ship cruise missiles are guided missiles designed to attack warships from ships, submarines, aircraft, or coastal launchers. In the Red Sea Crisis, Houthi forces fired the class from Yemen toward U.S. warships and Red Sea shipping, making it a central maritime threat in the campaign.

Red Sea CrisisHouthi movement

Conflict side: Houthi movement
Built by: Multiple manufacturers
Built in: Multiple countries

Anti-ship cruise missile, Anti-ship cruise missile, Munitions

Image source: Harpoon missile launch aboard USS Shiloh

Profile

Type: Anti-ship cruise missile
Conflict side: Houthi movement
Origin: Multiple countries
Service note: Post-World War II

naval strike maritime

Service History

In service: Widely fielded in many variants since the 1950s
Used by: Naval and coastal-defense forces worldwide
Wars: Red Sea Crisis

Production History

Designer: Multiple design bureaus
Designed: 1950s onward
Built by: Multiple manufacturers
Built in: Multiple countries
Unit cost: Varies by missile family and operator
Produced: 1950s-present
Number built: Not publicly disclosed
Variants: Ship-launched, Submarine-launched, Air-launched, Coastal-defense variants

Specifications

Launch platforms: Surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and some land-based launchers
Guidance: Active radar, inertial autopilots, passive radar, or infrared homing depending on the missile family
Attack profile: Sea-skimming or other low-altitude terminal approaches designed to penetrate ship defenses
Target set: Warships and other high-value surface ships

Conflict Usage

Red Sea Crisis: Side: Houthi movementRole: Maritime strikeprecision fires strike
Red Sea Crisis: Houthi militants fired anti-ship cruise missiles from Yemen toward USS Laboon and the Red Sea in January 2024.

Anti-ship cruise missile Images

Anti-ship cruise missile, Anti-ship cruise missile, Munitions - view 1 — Source: Harpoon missile launch aboard USS Shiloh

Anti-ship cruise missile, Anti-ship cruise missile, Munitions - view 2 — Source: Exocet launch image

Anti-ship cruise missile, Anti-ship cruise missile, Munitions - view 3 — Source: Neptune cruise missile image

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Sources

Britannica antiship missile overviewPublisher: Britannica | Note: Supports antiship missile background, launch-platform variety, and general guidance characteristics. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Britannica tactical guided missilesPublisher: Britannica | Note: Supports antiship missile attack profiles such as sea-skimming and pop-up-and-dive terminal maneuvers. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Houthis fire anti-ship cruise missile toward U.S. warshipPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Red Sea Crisis: Houthi militants fired an anti-ship cruise missile from Yemen toward USS Laboon, demonstrating direct use in the conflict. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Houthis fire anti-ship cruise missile toward Red SeaPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Red Sea Crisis: Houthi militants fired an anti-ship cruise missile toward the Red Sea, and USS Gravely shot it down. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Harpoon missile launch aboard USS ShilohPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Navy image page for a representative anti-ship cruise missile launch. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Exocet launch imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Navy image page for a representative anti-ship cruise missile launch. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Neptune cruise missile imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: CC BY 4.0 image page for a representative anti-ship cruise missile example. | Accessed: 2026-06-21