US sends second aircraft carrier to Middle East amid rising Houthi attacks

The United States is deploying a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, a move signaling heightened military focus in the region as tensions rise following a renewed conflict in Gaza and escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi forces.

USS Carl Vinson ordered to join Red Sea operations

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the USS Carl Vinson to head toward the Red Sea, extending its current deployment in the Pacific by three months.

The ship had been conducting joint exercises with Japanese and South Korean forces in the East China Sea and was previously scheduled to return to San Diego within weeks.

The USS Carl Vinson will join the USS Harry S. Truman strike group, which is already operating in the Red Sea. Hegseth has extended Truman’s deployment by at least one month.

The decision marks the second time in six months that two U.S. carrier strike groups have been stationed in the region — and the first such instance since President Donald Trump returned to office in January.

Escalation in Red Sea conflict with Houthis

The deployment follows intensified attacks by Houthi militants, who have targeted more than 100 commercial vessels since November 2023 using missiles and drones, sinking two ships and killing four sailors.

The group has said its operations aim to pressure Israel to end its campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Last weekend, President Trump ordered a wave of military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The group later claimed that 53 people were killed and 98 injured in the airstrikes. In response, the Houthis vowed to continue their attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes until Israel withdraws from Gaza.

Trump blames Iran, issues public warnings

Following the strikes, President Trump issued a direct warning to Iran via his Truth Social platform, stating: “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire.”

He later added on Wednesday, “The Houthis will be completely annihilated.”

Strategic message to Tehran, resource allocation

U.S. military officials say the presence of two carrier strike groups provides more operational capability in the Red Sea and sends a strategic message to Tehran.

The decision also reflects a reallocation of U.S. naval resources, temporarily shifting focus from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East.

“The presence of so much US naval power in the region not only gives commanders additional ships to patrol and launch strikes, but it also serves as a clear message of deterrence to Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor,” one U.S. official said.

The increased naval presence comes as maintenance schedules at Navy shipyards face further strain and amid ongoing debates over the long-term strategic balance between the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.

Military campaign expands in Yemen

Since the new round of airstrikes began last week, U.S. forces have targeted multiple Houthi facilities in Yemen, including missile launch sites, storage areas, and leadership compounds.

Defense officials say operations are aimed at degrading the Houthis’ capacity to disrupt shipping through the Red Sea, a key global trade route.

Although the Trump administration continues to emphasize a strategic pivot toward Asia, the deployment of two aircraft carriers in the Middle East underscores the enduring complexity of the region’s security challenges and the growing risk of wider regional escalation.