[Jeff Head]

Agreed 100% on both counts...but if the Israelis has the Saar 5 vessel there in the waters near Lebannon, then that means they expected and wanted to be prepared for air attack. It came, and it was pointed at their most capable asset in that regard.

...and it mission killed it.

Everyone will be interested in this, the USN, our allies, the Iranians, the Russians, and the Chinese who developed the missile.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

OTOH, this is, in a way much better news than originally reported. I was wondering why they couldn't take out a drone. Now that we know it was a Silkworm (or a derivative thereof), we have a reasonable explanation.

I would think that, after this experience, Israel runs with an enhanced CAP including AWACS. It might be hard to detect the missile, but it should be fairly easy to determine where it came from and, possibly, fire retaliatory attacks at the missile launch site before the missile reaches it's target.

Betcha the radar operators are more alert in the Israeli Navy too...