Red Sea Battle Set to Intensify After Deployment of USS Theodore Roosevelt
The supercarrier USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived in the Red Sea yesterday, transferring from the Indo-Pacific region where she had been operating since the beginning of 2024.
A short statement by the U.S. Central Command said, "The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations July 12 to deter aggression, promote regional stability, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region."
The USS Theodore Roosevelt is taking over the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower which left the Red Sea area last month after six months in the region. The Roosevelt group consists of the destroyers USS Halsey, USS Russell, and USS Daniel K. Inouye.
In late May, the Iran-backed Houthi group said it targeted the United States Carrier Strike Group 2, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The attack on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was conducted with multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
The deployment of the USS Theodore Roosevelt comes amidst the continued attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi) group.
The latest Houthi naval assault happened yesterday. A statement by Houthi military spokesperson Yahia Sarea, "The naval forces, the air force, and the missile force of the Yemeni armed forces carried out a joint military operation targeting the Vessel CHRYSALIS in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab."
According to the statement, the ship was targeted twice. It was first targeted in the Red Sea, and the other attack happened in Bab al-Mandab with several ballistic and naval missiles and drones.
The Houthis vow to continue their attacks on what they call the Israeli-linked ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel has killed over 38000 people.
Houthi officials say the arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt to the region does not frighten their forces, indicating that they have advanced missile capabilities that can counter the American military forces off Yemen.
On Thursday, July 11, Houthi movement chief Abdulmalik al-Houthi said that 166 ships linked to Israel, the U.S., and Britain had been targeted by his group since November last year.
Since January this year, the U.S. and U.K. forces have launched numerous airstrikes targeting Houthi sites in Yemen.
The U.S. Central Command said yesterday, "In the past 24 hours, the USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen."
It added, "It was determined these UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure."
According to Al-Houthi, the two countries have launched 570 attacks on Yemen since January 12, including airstrikes and naval bombardments. The strikes killed 57 and injured 87 people.
While the U.S. keeps sending military assets to the region to counter the rising Houthi attacks, the group has magnified its preparation for war and mobilized thousands of fighters in areas under its control.
In his latest televised speech on Thursday, Al-Houthi said the newly mobilized forces have reached 372,174 fighters, who are now ready for combat.