The United States Navy is to deploy a second carrier strike group to the Middle East in response to escalating threats from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
According to an anonymous US official speaking to the Associated Press, the USS Carl Vinson will soon join the USS Harry S. Truman, which has had its deployment extended by one month.
Heightened response to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea
The move to send the Carl Vinson to join the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group underlines Washington’s intention to bolster its presence against the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have intensified their attacks on international vessels in strategic waterways.
Officials say the enhanced US Navy presence will focus on ensuring freedom of navigation in the region. Since November 2023, Houthi rebels have launched multiple anti-ship missiles and ‘kamikaze’ drones against both military and commercial targets transiting the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. These attacks have disrupted international commerce, with an estimated 12% of global trade passing through the affected region.
In response, the US, UK, and allied nations have increased their military presence in the area, deploying air defense ships, combat aircraft, and conducting retaliatory airstrikes.
On March 15, 2025, US President Donald Trump ordered what has been described as a “massive raid” on Houthi strongholds in Yemen. According to US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, the operation carried out by units from the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group resulted in the deaths of “several key” Houthi leaders. The Houthis retaliated by attempting to strike the carrier group with missiles and aerial drones, though the attacks were ultimately unsuccessful, officials say.
The Harry S. Truman has been operating in the 5th Fleet’s area of responsibility since December 2024, supporting efforts to contain the Houthi insurgency. It briefly departed the region to undergo repairs in Greece following a collision with a merchant vessel but has since returned to the Red Sea.
Political scandal overshadows military campaign
The renewed military campaign has been overshadowed by a political scandal involving leaked communications. Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed that he was inadvertently included in a Signal messaging group where high-ranking national security officials discussed the March 15 operation in real time and exchanged candid opinions about US military support to European allies.
In one message, a user identified as ‘Vance’ wrote, “If you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.” Another participant, apparently ‘Hegseth’, responded minutes later, “VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”
These remarks have ignited controversy over the administration’s views on already tensed transatlantic relations.
While in Hawaii, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vehemently denied the leak, labeling Goldberg a “discredited so-called journalist” and stating, “Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say”.
However, the White House has since confirmed to the BBC that a journalist was indeed inadvertently added to a messaging group used by US officials during the planning of the March 15 raid.
The National Security Council acknowledged the leak, stating that the message chain “appears to be authentic” and that a review is underway to determine how the error could have occurred. This incident has raised significant concerns about operational security and the handling of sensitive information within the highest levels of government.