Shibh Aljazeera Net | Red Sea
The U.S. Naval Institute’s “USNI News” revealed the withdrawal of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln from its position in the Arabian Sea towards the Pacific Ocean, following a week of announcements by Sanaa forces claiming they had targeted it with cruise missiles and drones.
A map published by the site on Monday evening showed the global deployment of U.S. aircraft carriers, revealing that “Lincoln” was now located in the far eastern Indian Ocean, seemingly en route back to the United States via the Pacific.
Attack and Targeting
A week ago, the carrier was stationed in the Arabian Sea, approximately 650 kilometers from areas under the control of Sanaa forces. While Sanaa announced that it had targeted the carrier along with the U.S. destroyers USS Spruance and USS Stockdale in the Red Sea, the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) confirmed the attacks on the destroyers but refrained from addressing whether the carrier had been targeted.
In this context, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Ansar Allah group, stated that the operation targeting the “Lincoln” was preemptive and successfully thwarted a “major airstrike” that was being prepared against Yemen. He added that the carrier was forced to retreat hundreds of miles following the attack.
Carrier’s Location Supports the Narrative
The current location of the aircraft carrier supports the Houthi narrative regarding its withdrawal, echoing the earlier withdrawal of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower from the Red Sea in June. At that time, Sanaa forces announced multiple missile and drone strikes against it, which were initially denied by the U.S. military. However, the commander of the naval group later admitted the attacks had occurred.
A report by the Counterterrorism Center indicated that a ballistic missile launched by Sanaa forces during that period landed just 200 meters away from hitting the Eisenhower.
Questions About the Effectiveness of Aircraft Carriers
The withdrawal of the “Lincoln” coincided with growing discussions in U.S. media about the utility of aircraft carriers amid the emerging challenges posed by new tactics in the Red Sea conflict. Increasingly, voices in the U.S. have labeled aircraft carriers as a “strategic liability” for the military.
Houthis Emerge as a “Sophisticated Threat”
In a related development, Pentagon acquisition official Bill LaPlante stated that the Houthis had become a sophisticated threat. He remarked: “They now possess long-range anti-ship ballistic missile capabilities and are capable of remarkable feats. They are producing thousands of advanced ballistic missiles using technologies that were once exclusive to advanced nations.” He added that these developments are “astonishing and concerning.”
This development comes amidst escalating regional tensions, casting a shadow over the balance of power in the area and raising questions about the future of U.S. strategy in confronting unconventional challenges.