The second aircraft carrier sent by the U.S. to the Middle East to protect commercial shipping lanes mainly from the Yemeni Houthis rebels has arrived. Announced the U.S. military on Thursday.

According to a post on X from the U.S. Joint Forces Command for the Middle East, the Carl Vinson has joined the region alongside the Harry S. Truman, which the Houthis claimed to have targeted several times in recent weeks.

The U.S has claimed to have struck more than 100 targets in Yemen since the mid-March launch of their latest aerial campaign against the Houthis. Controlling large portions of Yemen, the Houthis, have been attacking ships off the coast of the country in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden since late 2023.

They act in 'solidarity' with Gaza in the devastating war waged by Israel on the Palestinian territory since Oct. 7 2023 and the bloody Hamas attacks on Israeli soil. The Houthis assert they are primarily targeting ships related to Israel and its main military supporter, the U.S. Hindering the transport of U.S. goods including military supplies in some of the most important maritime routes for global trade.

In mid-March, Donald Trump had warned that Iran would now be 'held accountable' for 'every shot' made by the Houthis.