US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Navy’s USS Carl Vinson to transit to the Middle East amid escalating strikes on Yemen-based Houthi rebels. The USS Harry S. Truman, currently in the Red Sea, will remain deployed for at least another month.
The move comes after President Donald Trump ordered a “decisive and powerful” action against Houthi forces last year, targeting their bases, leaders, and missile defenses. The Houthis have attacked American and allied ships throughout the Israel-Hamas war, driving up freight and insurance costs.
Hegseth’s orders extend the USS Harry S. Truman’s deployment by approximately three months and direct the USS Carl Vinson to join it in the region. This will mark the second time in six months that two carrier strike groups have been stationed in the Middle East, a move that takes assets away from the Indo-Pacific and bolsters resources closer to Iran.
The escalation follows a recent increase in Houthi strikes against US warships, including ballistic and cruise missiles fired at the USS Harry S. Truman. Yemen’s Houthi spokesperson has condemned the US actions, calling it “protecting terrorism” and urging the US to leave the region.
The deployment is seen as a response to the Houthis’ aggressive tactics, which have driven up costs for shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The move aims to protect American interests and deter further attacks on allied forces.
The USS Carl Vinson is expected to arrive in the region early April, joining the USS Harry S. Truman in a bid to bolster US military presence in the Middle East.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/hegseth-orders-pacific-aircraft-carrier-middle-east-amid-houthi-strikes-2048720