US adding second aircraft carrier in Middle East: Pentagon

The United States is expanding its naval presence in the Middle East, deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region as attacks by Yemen's Huthi rebels continue to disrupt global shipping, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

The USS Carl Vinson will join the USS Harry S. Truman, which is already stationed in the area, in a move aimed at deterring aggression and securing maritime trade routes, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.

"To complement the CENTCOM maritime posture, the secretary also ordered the deployment of additional squadrons and other air assets that will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities," Parnell said, referring to the U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the region.

The move comes as U.S. forces carry out near-daily airstrikes against the Huthis, who began targeting commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden following the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023. The Iran-backed rebels claim their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians.

Huthi strikes have severely disrupted global trade by forcing ships to avoid the Suez Canal, a crucial passage that typically carries 12% of the world's maritime traffic. Many vessels are now taking a costly detour around Africa’s southern tip.

A day before the carrier deployment was announced, President Donald Trump vowed that the U.S. would continue striking the Huthis until their threat to shipping is eliminated.

"The choice for the Huthis is clear: Stop shooting at U.S. ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Huthis and their sponsors in Iran," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Trump said U.S. forces had been hitting Huthi targets "harder and harder" in a relentless campaign that began on March 15.

He also escalated his rhetoric toward Iran, warning that “there will be bombing” if Tehran does not reach a deal on its nuclear program.

The president’s threats come as his administration faces backlash over the accidental leak of sensitive information about the Yemen strikes.

The Atlantic magazine reported last week that its editor had been inadvertently added to a Signal group chat where top security officials were discussing airstrike timings and intelligence.

The officials, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, were unaware that a journalist was reading their messages in real-time.