Recent Chinese satellite images dated June 4 revealed that the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) moved a short distance southward in the Red Sea.
The published photos do not indicate any damage or evidence of an attack on the aircraft carrier.
This follows claims by Yemeni Houthi rebels of a missile attack on the USS Eisenhower. On May 31, Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV reported that Houthi forces conducted a joint operation involving several cruise and ballistic missiles targeting the American aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.
The alleged attack was described as a response to airstrikes conducted by the US and the UK on Houthi positions in Yemen. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree asserted that the strike on the carrier was precise, warning of immediate retaliation against US and UK assets for any further aggression.
The US Navy dismissed the Houthi claims, confirming that all ballistic missiles and drones were intercepted. Additionally, the USS Eisenhower, the second oldest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the US Navy, will remain in the Red Sea for another month to protect commercial shipping routes. Despite Houthi assertions of multiple direct hits on the carrier and its escort, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that all Houthi munitions were neutralized.
The USS Eisenhower has a history of operating in these waters. Its first deployment, Operation Eagle Claw, occurred during the 1980 Iran hostage crisis. The carrier also played a prominent role during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, becoming the second nuclear carrier to transit the Suez Canal.
The ongoing presence of the USS Eisenhower in the Red Sea underscores the strategic importance of maintaining security in vital shipping lanes amid regional tensions.