They were heading out the rescue the cruise ship now floating off the coast - fire in the engine room. Out of power with 4,500 on board. Was heading to mexico.
Given my background, I am going to speculate that this was a submarine launch of a ICMB or surface launch of a Standard Missile.
If this was not a US Navy launch or a test of the THAD anti-ballistic missile systems (such as a test vehicle), and it turns out it was a foreign military doing this; all hell is going to break loose politically for Obama.
Can you see it now?
“Obama lets foreign military launch missiles miles off the coast of California?
OR
Who is protecting American while the king jets off to another vacation?”
I am guessing it was a US military launch because I like Occams Razor so much.