Latest news with #U.S.Reaper
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In final Qatar stop, Trump hopes for Iranian nuclear deal, ceasefire in Ukraine
AL-UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar - President Donald Trump expressed renewed optimism Thursday about curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions. He declared that he wanted to make Gaza into a 'freedom zone' as well as bolster the Syrian government. And he held out the possibility that he could travel to Turkey to try to secure a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Trump's visit to the Middle East has offered a window into an emerging, sometimes contradictory foreign policy doctrine. He has long taken a restrained approach to the use of military power and has complained about the cost of U.S. deployments around the world. Now he appears to be trying to draw to a close various conflicts around the globe while still vowing not to withdraw from the world entirely. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Speaking at the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East as he stood between a Qatari F-15 and a U.S. Reaper drone, Trump touted his ability to make deals to solve some of the world's most intractable problems. 'I could settle that up,' he said of trying to halt conflicts between India and Pakistan. 'I can settle anything.' 'As president, my priority is to end conflicts, not start them,' he said. 'But I will never hesitate to wield American power if necessary, to defend the United States of America.' Past presidents have traveled with grand visions of the role of the United States as the paramount leader of the international system. Ever since World War II, Washington has portrayed itself as a beacon of freedom, the one reliable arbiter in an unpredictable and dangerous world. Trump has always chosen his own path on foreign policy, and this week has been no exception. He departed Washington on Monday without having outlined an overarching vision for the trip beyond a desire to strike business deals. But the deals themselves appear to be the grand vision. And he has taken a business operator's approach even to the nonbusiness, thorny matters of foreign policy, including long-intractable challenges with Iran, Israel and Ukraine and Russia. Trump delivered his speech Thursday as he entered the final phase of his trip, with lower-key events on his schedule before he returns to Washington from Abu Dhabi midday Friday. During Trump's stay in Qatar, he never publicly mentioned his aspiration to accept a luxury 747 from the Qatari government as a gift for use as Air Force One, a move that has triggered criticism from Democrats, ethics experts and even some Republicans. Trump said earlier Thursday that Iran had 'sort of agreed to the terms' of a negotiation and that Tehran would not pursue a nuclear weapon using a uranium enrichment program that Trump referred to as producing 'nuclear dust.' In a 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran pledged never to pursue nuclear weapons and accepted strict limits on uranium enrichment in return for sanctions relief. Trump withdrew the United States from that agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. 'They're not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,' Trump said. 'And we've been strong. I want them to succeed. I want them to end up being a great country, frankly, but they can't have a nuclear weapon. That's the only thing.' The result at times has been discordant. In the major foreign policy address of the trip, on Tuesday in Riyadh in front of a crowd of U.S. and Saudi business leaders, the president declared that U.S. military interventionism in the region had repeatedly failed and that nations in the Middle East had prospered best when left to their own sovereign impulses. That vision appeared to grant local monarchies a pass on democracy and human rights issues, a past focus of both Democratic and Republican presidents. Trump, in contrast, suggested that the era of U.S. wars of choice was over. But on Thursday, Trump chose a decidedly martial backdrop for his final stop in Qatar, speaking to troops at al-Udeid Air Base, which has been a major staging area for the U.S. Air Force in U.S. military conflicts of recent decades, including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and efforts to fight the Islamic State in Syria. At a business roundtable speaking alongside Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani earlier on Thursday, Trump said Joe Biden mishandled the Middle East when he was president. 'The past administration didn't handle the relationship properly, didn't show the kind of respect that they deserve. And me, I have a lot of respect, and I have a lot of liking,' Trump said. Trump has expressed skepticism about U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, accusing them of taking advantage of Americans on trade even as they enjoyed the protections of the U.S. military umbrella. And in Tuesday's address in Riyadh, he said the Middle East would do better with less U.S. military involvement. Yet over the course of the trip, Trump has also vowed to be resolute in his military support for the countries he is visiting. 'We are going to protect this country, this very special place with a special royal family,' Trump said Thursday. 'We had a president that blew up half the Middle East, and then he left,' Trump said, an apparent reference to Biden's 2021 pullout from Afghanistan, which continued a Trump initiative from his first term. Washington 'spent 10 trillion on blowing up the Middle East, and then he left. Just said, 'Let's leave now.'' The cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan totals 'somewhere between' $4 trillion and $6 trillion, including future expenses for long-term medical care and disability compensation, according to a study by the Harvard Kennedy School. Now that he is back in the White House, 'we don't do that,' Trump said. 'We take care of our friends, so you have a great ally in us. And there's nobody even close in terms of military power.' Trump on Thursday also repeated his desire for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it, an entanglement that, if actually implemented, would pull Washington far deeper and more directly than it has ever been into the generations-long Israel-Palestinian conflict. That initiative was seemingly at odds with his vow to reduce foreign entanglements for the United States. Trump also said he was still holding out the possibility that he could attend talks in Turkey on a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. His attendance is probably conditioned on the attendance of Russian President Vladimir Putin - a remote possibility, given Russia's announcement of a low-level delegation this week. 'I was thinking about going, but it's very tough because of what we're doing today and tomorrow,' Trump said. 'But you know, if something happened, I'd go on Friday if it was appropriate.' A short while later, on his way to United Arab Emirates, Trump told reporters on Air Force One: 'Nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together.' Ahead of his speech, several other acts took the stage. Lee Greenwood - one of Trump's favorite musicians, whose 'God Bless the U.S.A.' has become a staple at Trump's rallies - sang several of his hits. Comedian Theo Von came onstage to tremendous applause and began with a series of mild-mannered jokes. 'One of the most famous suntans in the world is here today, Donald Trump,' he said. 'He sunbathes in a Sherwin Williams.' Von then veered into racist jokes, mocking of those with disabilities and poking at the traditional dress in this Arab country. It may have a low crime rate, he said, but part of the reason may be it's impossible to tell who committed any. 'Who did the crime? The guy, the guy in the white!' he said. 'Was his name Mohammed? You're like, yeah, he was. … It's like a Ku Klux Sandsman.' The joke didn't get big laughs, particularly in a section that had Qatari troops. Then he made a reference to Qatar's criminalization of same-sex sexual activity, seemingly telling a story about questioning at the border. 'I'm not going to fly across the whole world just to be gay. I'm not in the Navy,' Von said to groans. When Trump took the stage later, he thanked Von for coming and remarked how beneficial appearing on his podcast had been to his campaign. He noted that he made that appearance at the urging of his teenage son Barron. Related Content For a Howard mom of three, earning her doctorate is a family victory Zelensky says he's ready to meet Putin; Europe prepares sanctions Who is Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage released by Hamas?
Washington Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
In final Qatar stop, Trump hopes for Iranian nuclear deal, ceasefire in Ukraine
AL-UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar — President Donald Trump expressed renewed optimism Thursday about curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions. He declared that he wanted to make Gaza into a 'freedom zone' as well as bolster the Syrian government. And he held out the possibility that he could travel to Turkey to try to secure a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Trump's visit to the Middle East has offered a window into an emerging, sometimes contradictory foreign policy doctrine. He has long taken a restrained approach to the use of military power and has complained about the cost of U.S. deployments around the world. Now he appears to be trying to draw to a close various conflicts around the globe while still vowing not to withdraw from the world entirely. Speaking at the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East as he stood between a Qatari F-15 and a U.S. Reaper drone, Trump touted his ability to make deals to solve some of the world's most intractable problems. 'I could settle that up,' he said of trying to halt conflicts between India and Pakistan. 'I can settle anything.' 'As president, my priority is to end conflicts, not start them,' he said. 'But I will never hesitate to wield American power if necessary, to defend the United States of America.' Past presidents have traveled with grand visions of the role of the United States as the paramount leader of the international system. Ever since World War II, Washington has portrayed itself as a beacon of freedom, the one reliable arbiter in an unpredictable and dangerous world. Trump has always chosen his own path on foreign policy, and this week has been no exception. He departed Washington on Monday without having outlined an overarching vision for the trip beyond a desire to strike business deals. But the deals themselves appear to be the grand vision. And he has taken a business operator's approach even to the non-business, thorny matters of foreign policy, including long-intractable challenges with Iran, Israel and Ukraine and Russia. Trump delivered his speech Thursday as he entered the final phase of his trip, with lower-key events on his schedule before he returns to Washington from Abu Dhabi midday Friday. During Trump's stay in Qatar, he never publicly mentioned his aspiration to accept a luxury 747 from the Qatari government as a gift for use as Air Force One, a move that has triggered criticism from Democrats, ethics experts and even some Republicans. Trump said earlier Thursday that Iran had 'sort of agreed to the terms' of a negotiation and that Tehran would not pursue a nuclear weapon using a uranium enrichment program that Trump referred to as producing 'nuclear dust.' In a 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran pledged never to pursue nuclear weapons and accepted strict limits on uranium enrichment in return for sanctions relief. Trump withdrew the United States from that agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. 'They're not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,' Trump said. 'And we've been strong. I want them to succeed. I want them to end up being a great country, frankly, but they can't have a nuclear weapon. That's the only thing.' The result at times has been discordant. In the major foreign policy address of the trip, on Tuesday in Riyadh in front of a crowd of U.S. and Saudi business leaders, the president declared that U.S. military interventionism in the region had repeatedly failed and that nations in the Middle East had prospered best when left to their own sovereign impulses. That vision appeared to grant local monarchies a pass on democracy and human rights issues, a past focus of both Democratic and Republican presidents. Trump, in contrast, suggested that the era of U.S. wars of choice was over. But on Thursday, Trump chose a decidedly martial backdrop for his final stop in Qatar, speaking to troops at al-Udeid Air Base, which has been a major staging area for the U.S. Air Force in U.S. military conflicts of recent decades, including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and efforts to fight the Islamic State in Syria. At a business roundtable speaking alongside Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani earlier on Thursday, Trump said Joe Biden mishandled the Middle East when he was president. 'The past administration didn't handle the relationship properly, didn't show the kind of respect that they deserve. And me, I have a lot of respect, and I have a lot of liking,' Trump said. Trump has expressed skepticism about U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, accusing them of taking advantage of Americans on trade even as they enjoyed the protections of the U.S. military umbrella. And in Tuesday's address in Riyadh, he said the Middle East would do better with less U.S. military involvement. Yet over the course of the trip, Trump has also vowed to be resolute in his military support for the countries he is visiting. 'We are going to protect this country, this very special place with a special royal family,' Trump said Thursday. 'We had a president that blew up half the Middle East, and then he left,' Trump said, an apparent reference to Biden's 2021 pullout from Afghanistan, which continued a Trump initiative from his first term. Washington 'spent 10 trillion on blowing up the Middle East, and then he left. Just said, 'Let's leave now.'' Trump said that, now that he is back in the White House, 'we don't do that. We take care of our friends, so you have a great ally in us. And there's nobody even close in terms of military power.' Trump on Thursday also repeated his desire for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it, an entanglement that, if actually implemented, would pull Washington far deeper and more directly than it has ever been into the generations-long Israel-Palestinian conflict. That initiative was seemingly at odds with his vow to reduce foreign entanglements for the United States. Trump also said he was still holding out the possibility that he could attend talks in Turkey on a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. His attendance is probably conditioned on the attendance of Russian President Vladimir Putin — a remote possibility, given Russia's announcement of a low-level delegation this week. 'I was thinking about going, but it's very tough because of what we're doing today and tomorrow,' Trump said. 'But you know, if something happened, I'd go on Friday if it was appropriate.' A short while later, on his way to United Arab Emirates, Trump told reporters on Air Force One: 'Nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together.' Ahead of his speech, several other acts took the stage. Lee Greenwood — one of Trump's favorite musicians, whose 'God Bless the U.S.A.' has become a staple at Trump's rallies — sang several of his hits. Comedian Theo Von came onstage to tremendous applause and began with a series of mild-mannered jokes. 'One of the most famous suntans in the world is here today, Donald Trump,' he said. 'He sunbathes in a Sherwin Williams.' Von then veered into racist jokes, mocking of those with disabilities and poking at the traditional dress in this Arab country. It may have a low crime rate, he said, but part of the reason may be it's impossible to tell who committed any. 'Who did the crime? The guy, the guy in the white!' he said. 'Was his name Mohammed? You're like, yeah, he was. … It's like a Ku Klux Sandsman.' The joke didn't get big laughs, particularly in a section that had Qatari troops. Then he made a reference to Qatar's criminalization of same-sex sexual activity, seemingly telling a story about questioning at the border. 'I'm not going to fly across the whole world just to be gay. I'm not in the Navy,' Von said to groans. When Trump took the stage later, he thanked Von for coming and remarked how beneficial appearing on his podcast had been to his campaign. He noted that he made that appearance at the urging of his teenage son Barron.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Houthi rebels have shot down 7 US Reaper drones in recent weeks
Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven U.S. Reaper drones in less than six weeks, a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the Iran-backed militants. According to defense officials, three of the drones were shot down in the past week — suggesting the militants' targeting of the unmanned aircraft flying over Yemen has improved. The drones were doing attack runs or conducting surveillance, and they crashed both into the water and onto land, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. has increased its attacks on the Houthis, launching daily strikes since March 15, when President Donald Trump ordered a new, expanded campaign. He promised to use 'overwhelming lethal force' until the Houthis cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. Central Command spokesman Dave Eastburn said Thursday night that the U.S. has struck more than 800 Houthi targets. 'These strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, advanced weapons storage locations, and killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,' Eastburn said. Another defense official said that although hostile fire is likely the cause of the drone losses, the incidents are still under investigation. The official noted that the increase in U.S. strikes can add to the risk to aircraft, but said the U.S. will take every measure possible to protect troops, equipment and interests in the region. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on sensitive military issues. US forces strike Yemen oil port in ongoing campaign against Houthis The sophisticated drones, built by General Atomics, cost about $30 million each, and generally fly at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet. Houthis leaders have consistently touted the strikes in public statements. One of the defense officials said the U.S. lost Reaper drones on March 31 and on April 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22. U.S. senators, meanwhile, are raising concerns about civilian casualties caused by the American strikes in Yemen. Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tim Kaine of Virginia wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday questioning whether the Trump administration is 'abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm.' Specifically, they questioned reports that U.S. strikes at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week potentially killed more than 70 civilians. 'Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do,' their letter said. In addition to downing the drones, the Houthis have been persistently firing missiles and one-way attack drones at U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They haven't hit any. US sends F-35s to Middle East as strikes on Houthis continue The U.S. has been using an array of warships, fighter jets, bombers and drones to strike the Houthis, and aircraft can now launch from two Navy carriers in the region. Hegseth decided in March to beef up the Navy warship presence in the Middle East, ordering the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman to extend its deployment there, as the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson steamed toward the area. The Truman, along with two of the destroyers and a cruiser in its strike group, is now in the Red Sea. And the Vinson, along with two destroyers and a cruiser, is in the Gulf of Aden. The third destroyer assigned to the Truman is in the Mediterranean Sea. And two other U.S. Navy destroyers are in the Red Sea, but aren't part of the Truman's group. Hegseth is weighing whether to grant a request by U.S. Central Command to once again extend the Truman's deployment. A decision to do that could keep the Truman and at least some of its strike group in the region for several more weeks. It has been rare in recent years for the U.S. to have two aircraft carriers in the Middle East at the same time. Navy leaders have generally been opposed to the idea because it disrupts ship maintenance schedules and delays time at home for sailors strained by the unusually high combat tempo. Last year, the Biden administration ordered the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower to remain in the Red Sea for an extended time, as U.S. warships waged the most intense running sea battle since World War II. Prior to that, it had been years since the U.S. had committed that much warship power to the Middle East. The Houthis have been waging persistent missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. From November 2023 until this January, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four civilian sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually.
25-04-2025
- Politics
Houthi rebels have shot down 7 US Reaper drones worth $200 million in recent weeks
WASHINGTON -- Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven U.S. Reaper drones in less than six weeks, a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the Iran-backed militants. According to defense officials, three of the drones were shot down in the past week — suggesting the militants' targeting of the unmanned aircraft flying over Yemen has improved. The drones were doing attack runs or conducting surveillance, and they crashed both into the water and onto land, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. has increased its attacks on the Houthis, launching daily strikes since March 15, when President Donald Trump ordered a new, expanded campaign. He promised to use 'overwhelming lethal force' until the Houthis cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. Central Command spokesman Dave Eastburn said Thursday night that the U.S. has struck more than 800 Houthi targets. 'These strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, advanced weapons storage locations, and killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,' Eastburn said. Another defense official said that although hostile fire is likely the cause of the drone losses, the incidents are still under investigation. The official noted that the increase in U.S. strikes can add to the risk to aircraft, but said the U.S. will take every measure possible to protect troops, equipment and interests in the region. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on sensitive military issues. The sophisticated drones, built by General Atomics, cost about $30 million each, and generally fly at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet (12,100 meters). Houthis leaders have consistently touted the strikes in public statements. One of the defense officials said the U.S. lost Reaper drones on March 31 and on April 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22. U.S. senators, meanwhile, are raising concerns about civilian casualties caused by the American strikes in Yemen. Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tim Kaine of Virginia wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday questioning whether the Trump administration is 'abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm.' Specifically, they questioned reports that U.S. strikes at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week potentially killed more than 70 civilians. 'Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do,' their letter said. In addition to downing the drones, the Houthis have been persistently firing missiles and one-way attack drones at U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They haven't hit any. The U.S. has been using an array of warships, fighter jets, bombers and drones to strike the Houthis, and aircraft can now launch from two Navy carriers in the region. Hegseth decided in March to beef up the Navy warship presence in the Middle East, ordering the USS Harry S. Truman to extend its deployment there, as the USS Carl Vinson steamed toward the area. The Truman, along with two of the destroyers and a cruiser in its strike group, is now in the Red Sea. And the Vinson, along with two destroyers and a cruiser, is in the Gulf of Aden. The third destroyer assigned to the Truman is in the Mediterranean Sea. And two other U.S. Navy destroyers are in the Red Sea, but aren't part of the Truman's group. Hegseth is weighing whether to grant a request by U.S. Central Command to once again extend the Truman's deployment. A decision to do that could keep the Truman and at least some of its strike group in the region for several more weeks. It has been rare in recent years for the U.S. to have two aircraft carriers in the Middle East at the same time. Navy leaders have generally been opposed to the idea because it disrupts ship maintenance schedules and delays time at home for sailors strained by the unusually high combat tempo. Last year, the Biden administration ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier to remain in the Red Sea for an extended time, as U.S. warships waged the most intense running sea battle since World War II. Prior to that it had been years since the U.S. had committed that much warship power to the Middle East. The Houthis have been waging persistent missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. From November 2023 until this January, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually.
Hamilton Spectator
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Houthi rebels have shot down 7 US Reaper drones worth $200 million in recent weeks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven U.S. Reaper drones in less than six weeks, a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the Iran-backed militants. According to defense officials, three of the drones were shot down in the past week — suggesting the militants' targeting of the unmanned aircraft flying over Yemen has improved. The drones were doing attack runs or conducting surveillance, and they crashed both into the water and onto land, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. has increased its attacks on the Houthis, launching daily strikes since March 15, when President Donald Trump ordered a new, expanded campaign. He promised to use 'overwhelming lethal force' until the Houthis cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. The U.S. has done more than 750 strikes on the Houthis since that new effort began. Another defense official said that although hostile fire is likely the cause of the drone losses, the incidents are still under investigation. The official noted that the increase in U.S. strikes can add to the risk to aircraft, but said the U.S. will take every measure possible to protect troops, equipment and interests in the region. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on sensitive military issues. The sophisticated drones, built by General Atomics, cost about $30 million each, and generally fly at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet (12,100 meters). Houthis leaders have consistently touted the strikes in public statements. One of the defense officials said the U.S. lost Reaper drones on March 31 and on April 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22. U.S. senators, meanwhile, are raising concerns about civilian casualties caused by the American strikes in Yemen. Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tim Kaine of Virginia wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday questioning whether the Trump administration is 'abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm.' Specifically, they questioned reports that U.S. strikes at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week potentially killed more than 70 civilians. 'Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do,' their letter said. In addition to downing the drones, the Houthis have been persistently firing missiles and one-way attack drones at U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They haven't hit any. The U.S. has been using an array of warships, fighter jets, bombers and drones to strike the Houthis, and aircraft can now launch from two Navy carriers in the region. Hegseth decided in March to beef up the Navy warship presence in the Middle East, ordering the USS Harry S. Truman to extend its deployment there, as the USS Carl Vinson steamed toward the area. The Truman, along with two of the destroyers and a cruiser in its strike group, is now in the Red Sea. And the Vinson, along with two destroyers and a cruiser, is in the Gulf of Aden. The third destroyer assigned to the Truman is in the Mediterranean Sea. And two other U.S. Navy destroyers are in the Red Sea, but aren't part of the Truman's group. Hegseth is weighing whether to grant a request by U.S. Central Command to once again extend the Truman's deployment. A decision to do that could keep the Truman and at least some of its strike group in the region for several more weeks. It has been rare in recent years for the U.S. to have two aircraft carriers in the Middle East at the same time. Navy leaders have generally been opposed to the idea because it disrupts ship maintenance schedules and delays time at home for sailors strained by the unusually high combat tempo. Last year, the Biden administration ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier to remain in the Red Sea for an extended time, as U.S. warships waged the most intense running sea battle since World War II. Prior to that it had been years since the U.S. had committed that much warship power to the Middle East. The Houthis have been waging persistent missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. From November 2023 until this January, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually.
