The U.S. Is Boosting Its Middle East Military Posture

The White House has dispatched additional military resources to the Red Sea and the Middle East.

In its latest barrage targeting the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, U.S. troops struck a critical port in Yemen earlier this week, killing dozens. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a statement surrounding recent events, detailing that “Today, U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue … The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis.” Since the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas dissolved back in January, the designated Houthi terror group has launched frequent attacks targeting international vessels in the Red Sea with a special focus on American warships. As violence between the Houthis and the U.S. Navy continues to surge, the White House has dispatched additional resources to the region. Specifically, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has rushed a second carrier strike group, advanced bombers, air defense batteries, and more fighters to the Middle East.

USS Carl Vinson

Initially, the USS Harry S. Truman Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and its supporting vessels were solely responsible for thwarting Houthi-launched barrages in the Red Sea. However, Hegseth extended USS Carl Vinson’s scheduled deployment by three months, sending the carrier out of the Pacific and toward the Red Sea to support its sister Nimitz ship. The dual ship presence in these waters is meant to deter further hostilities from the Houthis and Iran’s other regional proxy affiliates. These nuclear-powered warships displace 97,000 tons and house a range of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet and MH-60 Seahawk platforms.

B-2 bombers

As part of the Pentagon’s effort to beef up its defenses in the Middle East, at least half a dozen B-2 bombers were sent to the island of Diego Garcia. The presence of stealth aircraft in the Indian Ocean should serve as a major deterrent to Iran since the B-2’s extensive range now puts them in striking range of Tehran and its regional proxy groups. The B-2 “Spirit” is best known for its unique “flying wing” configuration, which makes the platform nearly impossible to detect. Armament-wise, the B-2 is virtually unparalleled. Capable of carrying up to 40,000 pounds of ordnance within two separate weapons bays, the Spirit is able to launch both nuclear and conventional bombs.

Read more HERE.