The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse before the strike

When President Donald Trump threatened to strike Syria, the US Navy had only one destroyer in the region — leading people to assume it would take part.

But when the attack occurred, that ship didn't fire — suggesting it may have been a distraction ploy.

Instead, ships in the Red Sea fired a large portion of the missiles, while Syria and its ally Russia apparently failed to defend against them.

Russian threats to counterattack ultimately did not lead to anything.

When President Donald Trump threatened to send missiles at Syria — despite Russia's promises to counterattack— all eyes turned toward the US Navy's sole destroyer in the region. But that may have been a trick.

Pundits openly scoffed at Trump's announcement early last week of the US's intention to strike, especially considering his criticism of President Barack Obama for similarly telegraphing US military plans, but the actual strike appeared successful.

In April of last year, two US Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean steamed into the region, let off 59 cruise missiles in response to gas attacks by the Syrian government, and left unpunished and unpursued.

But this time, with the US considering its response to another attack against civilians blamed on the Syrian government, Russian officials threatened to shoot down US missiles, and potentially the ships that launched them, if they attacked Syria. A retired Russian admiral spoke candidly about sinking the USS Donald Cook, the only destroyer in the region.