[SampleMan]

Well, what do we really know?

At this point we know a missile was fired. The ship sustained some damage (at least a temporary mission kill), and four sailors appear to be dead.

So what happened? In all likelihood, this ship did not sustain a serious hit. I say this because of the low loss of life and no serious fire damage. Even a dud would produce more if it entered the superstructure.

A substantial blow to the hull (hammer blow or explosive) can lead to a mission kill. Electronic systems get knocked offline.

If the hit was in the stern, it may have detonated external after a glancing blow. The bow or stern are least sensitive areas of even a small ship. Or if oblique enough for a CIWS engagement, the missile may have detonated close in, or come apart and hit the ship as a grab bag of components.

A ship of this size does not take an ASCM into its bowels and return under its own power.

So I postulate that the missile did not penetrate the main structure of the ship.

[Klutz Dohanger]

What do we know?

We now know that the Iranians are in Lebanon, and they're willing to bring their toys along with them.

[Southack]

"At this point we know a missile was fired. The ship sustained some damage (at least a temporary mission kill), and four sailors appear to be dead. So what happened? In all likelihood, this ship did not sustain a serious hit. I say this because of the low loss of life and no serious fire damage. Even a dud would produce more if it entered the superstructure."

Light to moderate damage would hint at the Israeli ship's Phalanx scoring a kill against the missile...but close to the ship.