The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group, led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, will continue its mission in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden for at least another month, according to U.S. officials. The strike group, which includes the USS Philippine Sea, a cruiser, and two destroyers, the USS Gravely and the USS Mason, has been deployed in the region since October.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently signed an order to extend the deployment for a second time, citing the critical role the ships have played in protecting commercial and military vessels from attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The decision to keep the carrier and its accompanying ships in the region means that approximately 6,000 sailors will remain on duty until the middle of the summer.
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