29-04-2025
Map Shows US Warships Reinforcing Firepower Near Middle East
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A pair of Japan-based U.S. destroyers has been operating in the Indian Ocean over the past month, as the Pentagon is enhancing its military presence in the nearby Middle East.
Meanwhile, another destroyer, which was previously deployed for a Western Pacific Ocean mission, is conducting combat operations in the Middle East, a map by Newsweek shows.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Central Command and the Iranian permanent mission to the United Nations in New York via email for comment.
A spokesperson for the Japan-headquartered U.S. Seventh Fleet, which maintains a forward presence in the Indo-Pacific region, told Newsweek that it would not discuss specific details regarding ongoing and future operations, as well as ship movements for operational security.
The USS Carl Vinson transits in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility in the Middle East on April 19, 2025.
The USS Carl Vinson transits in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility in the Middle East on April 19, 2025.
U.S. Navy
Why It Matters
Tensions between the United States and Iran, as well as the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, have been rising in recent months due to Tehran's nuclear program and the Houthi attacks on ships, including American warships, in the Red Sea, a key shipping route for global trade.
The U.S. has reinforced its force posture in the Middle East, which falls within the Central Command's area of responsibility, including the re-tasking of a naval strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson from its Pacific Ocean deployment to the Middle East.
Meanwhile, America's naval dominance in the Western Pacific Ocean is being challenged by China. There are nine U.S. destroyers assigned to the Destroyer Squadron 15, the principal surface force of the Seventh Fleet, a spokesperson for the Fleet told Newsweek.
What To Know
Photos released by the U.S. Navy show that the destroyers USS Milius and USS Ralph Johnson, both assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, were operating in the Indian Ocean as of last week. The Indian Ocean is part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet's area of responsibility.
While the two warships were underway in the Indian Ocean, they made port calls at Diego Garcia, a tiny island of the British Indian Ocean Territory that hosts a key U.S. military base.
The USS Milius arrives at U.S. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia on April 23, 2025.
The USS Milius arrives at U.S. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia on April 23, 2025.
Mass Communication Specialist Seamen Kamaren Hill/U.S. Navy
The Milius visited the remote island for what the U.S. Navy called a "scheduled port visit" on April 23, while the island hosted the Ralph Johnson twice on April 11 and April 22.
Diego Garcia's logistical capabilities enhance the endurance and readiness of naval forces, a spokesperson for the U.S. Seventh Fleet explained to Newsweek, "reinforcing a sustained presence that is vital for responding to mission requirements and ensuring regional stability."
According to a Newsweek map, the Milius and Ralph Johnson arrived in the Indian Ocean after transiting the Malacca Strait, which links the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The Carl Vinson's sister ship, USS Nimitz, departed from the U.S. West Coast last month for a scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean. Its naval strike group was initially comprised of four destroyers, which included the Hawaii-homeported USS Wayne E. Meyer.
However, following a stopover at Diego Garcia on April 5, the Wayne E. Meyer has been conducting operations in the Central Command's area of responsibility as part of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group since at least April 13, according to official released photos.
Newsweek reached out to the Nimitz Public Affairs Officer for comment by email.
The Milius, Ralph Johnson, and Wayne E. Meyer are the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, providing offensive and defensive capabilities with a variety of missiles, the U.S. Navy said.
The USS Wayne E. Meyer (R) conducts a replenishment-at-sea in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility in the Middle East on April 13, 2025.
The USS Wayne E. Meyer (R) conducts a replenishment-at-sea in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility in the Middle East on April 13, 2025.
U.S. Navy
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the U.S. Seventh Fleet told Newsweek: "The mission of the U.S. [Seventh] Fleet is to provide operational control and planning for its forces in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, while promoting regional stability and maritime security through engagements with allies and partners.
"As forward-deployed naval forces within the [Seventh] Fleet area of operations, our ships and aircraft have the unique privilege of operating in the Western Pacific, granting us the chance to meet our allies and partners face-to-face and reinforce shared commitment to deterring aggression and maintaining a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific."
The U.S. Central Command reported on April 27: "Since March 15, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces have conducted an intense and sustained campaign targeting the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen to restore freedom of navigation and American deterrence. These operations have been executed using detailed and comprehensive intelligence ensuring lethal effects against the Houthis while minimizing risk to civilians."
What Happens Next
It was unclear when the Milius and Ralph Johnson would conclude their deployments in the Indian Ocean. It remains to be seen whether the Wayne E. Meyer will stay in the Middle East or rejoin the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group to resume its Western Pacific Ocean mission.
