US Denies Iran-Backed Houthis Attacked USS Eisenhower in Red Sea

Sailors from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group assist distressed mariners rescued from the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier M/V Tutor that was attacked by Houthis, in the Red Sea, June 15, 2024.
Sailors from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group assist distressed mariners rescued from the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier M/V Tutor that was attacked by Houthis, in the Red Sea, June 15, 2024.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels say they have attacked the US aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower in the Red Sea, but the US says the claim is false.

A US official told Reuters that the claim by the rebel group is false, and no such attack has been carried out.

On Saturday, the Yemeni Houthi group announced that its forces had launched attacks on the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the Red Sea and the "Israeli-linked" Transworld Navigator ship in the Arabian Sea.

The exact timing of the attacks was not specified.

According to a statement from the Houthis, the Transworld Navigator was struck directly by a missile.

The group also declared that the operation targeting the Eisenhower had successfully met its objectives, though further details were not provided.

The Houthis' claim comes on the same day as the US Central Command has announced the return of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKE CSG) to the United States.

"After flying over 30,000 hours and sailing more than 55,000 miles, the IKE CSG has shown our dedication to regional stability and safeguarded freedom of navigation across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," the command stated in a tweet on Saturday.

The Houthis have increased their maritime assaults, including the recent sinking of the ship Tutor, marking a new phase in their strategy against international shipping routes since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

The attacks began after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Muslim nations in early November to blockade Israeli trade in the wake of the Gaza war.

The Houthis claim over 60 targeted attacks on vessels and numerous other missile and drone launches since November, leading to the deaths of four sailors and the capture or sinking of several ships.

Despite Houthi claims of targeting vessels connected to Israel, the US, or Britain, many of the attacked ships reportedly have minimal or no links to the Israel-Hamas war. In response, a US-led airstrike campaign has been targeting Houthi positions since January.