Additional Coverage:
- A US Navy carrier strike group is headed home after months battling the Houthis in the Red Sea (newsbreak.com)
In a significant naval shift, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which has been engaging with Houthis in the Red Sea for several months, is set to return to the United States.
Announced by the Pentagon this past Saturday, this marks an end to the group’s extended mission in the Middle East. Taking its place will be the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, currently stationed in the Indo-Pacific region.
The homebound fleet, having devoted over seven months to bolstering U.S. efforts for regional security and protecting forces, will transition through the United States European Command territory briefly before its stateside arrival. The Pentagon’s Press Secretary, Maj.
Gen. Pat Ryder, confirmed that there would be no further extension to the deployment which initially began in the Eastern Mediterranean last October.
The group was rapidly reassigned to safeguard Middle Eastern shipping pathways against persistent attacks by Iran-supported Houthi rebels.
Throughout its deployment, the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, including the aircraft carrier itself and several other warships, played a crucial role in intercepting numerous missile and drone attacks. It took proactive measures against the rebels in Yemen, engaging in both joint military operations with the British forces and preemptive actions to thwart impending threats.
Ryder highlighted the group’s significant achievements in ensuring the safe passage of ships through critical maritime zones such as the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden. The group’s actions not only saved innocent lives from unlawful Houthi assaults but also contributed to deterring further hostility in the region.
This operational transition occurs amidst ongoing concerns about the sustainability of countering Houthi aggressions, with U.S. intelligence indicating that the threat from the rebel group is likely to persist. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had previously extended the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group’s mission twice in response to the evolving situation.
During its tenure in the Red Sea, the Eisenhower strike group expended over 500 munitions—the cost of which amounted to approximately $1 billion—and covered more than 55,000 miles. Its aircraft have cumulatively flown in excess of 30,000 hours. Despite these efforts, Houthi assaults on maritime vessels have continued, including striking commercial ships as recently as June.
As the Roosevelt Strike Group prepares to depart the Indo-Pacific following a scheduled exercise, its upcoming mission in the Middle East aims to sustain regional peace, deter further aggression, and ensure the unimpeded flow of marine commerce.
(Original reporting from Business Insider)