
Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), on Sunday visited the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman which is operating in the Red Sea as part of ongoing operations against the Yemen-based Houthi rebels.
The carrier has been operating without interruption since it entered the CENTCOM area of responsibility on December 14, 2024.
In a statement, CENTCOM said that, during his time aboard, Gen. Kurilla engaged with leadership and crew of the carrier strike group (CSG), the air wing, observed flight deck operations, and gained firsthand insight into the carrier's operational readiness and mission capabilities.
Gen. Kurilla emphasized the strategic importance of the CSG in enabling CENTCOM's mission and enhancing combined and joint force operations across the theater. He also commended the professionalism, courage, and dedication of the Sailors embarked in the CSG.
"The USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group exemplifies the strength, power projection, and war fighting prowess of the U.S. Navy. The Carrier Strike Group presence in the region reinforces our commitment, alongside our partners and allies, to ensuring maritime security and deterring threats to regional stability. I am inspired by the exceptional work being performed by the men and women serving our Nation and our national interests, while supporting peace, security, and stability in the region," said Gen. Kurilla.
In mid-December, the USS Harry S. Truman (HST CSG), consisting of the flagship USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 with nine embarked aviation squadrons; Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28; the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, USS Gettysburg (CG 64); and two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout (DDG 55) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), entered the CENTCOM AOR, conducting various missions, including multiple strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthis.
Since the start of the Gaza war in October of 2023, the US has sent several aircraft carriers and accompanying destroyers to the Middle East.
The Houthi rebels have upped their attacks in the region since last October, having launched drones towards Israel and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea region.
In the wake of the uptick in Houthi attacks, the US formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.
The coalition has repeatedly targeted Houthi facilities and weapons systems in Yemen, but the Houthis have been unfazed by the strikes.
Israel has struck Houthi targets in Yemen as well, in retaliation for the rebels’ missile fire on Israel. On Friday, IAF fighter jets struck military targets belonging to the Houthis the western coast and inland Yemen.
Friday’s strikes marked the first time that the IDF, US and British forces all struck targets in Yemen at the same time.