The United States is sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East as military operations against Houthi fighters in Yemen intensify. The deployment marks a significant escalation, signaling an expanded airstrike campaign against the Iran-backed group.
Defense officials confirmed that the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, currently in the Red Sea, will extend its mission by at least a month. The USS Carl Vinson and its escort ships are set to join in the coming weeks, shifting from their recent exercises in the East China Sea alongside Japanese and South Korean forces.
This will be the second time in six months that two U.S. carrier strike groups have been deployed to the region, but the first instance under the current administration. The move underscores a major shift in military focus, despite previous efforts to prioritize operations in Asia. The extended deployments are expected to strain naval maintenance schedules, adding pressure to already busy shipyards.
Since the latest wave of airstrikes began, U.S. forces have targeted missile launch and storage facilities, as well as key Houthi leadership sites. The administration has vowed to intensify strikes, warning Iran against further supplying the Houthis with military equipment.
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