The Roosevelt was sent to Yemen in response to a convoy of seven to nine Iranian ships which appear to be headed for Yemen, and which could possibly be carrying armaments for the Houthi rebels fighting in the war-torn country.
A Navy official has confirmed to Fox News that the USS Theodore Roosevelt, along with her escort ship, the USS Normandy, a guided-missile cruiser left the Persian Gulf headed for the Arabian Sea Sunday to help enforce a blockade.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest would not comment specifically on any naval movements, but did say the U.S. has concerns over Iran’s support of the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“We have seen evidence that the Iranians are supplying weapons and other armed support to the Houthis in Yemen. That support will only contribute to greater violence in that country,” he said. “These are exactly the kind of destabilizing activities that we have in mind when we raise concerns about Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Middle East.”
The Houthis are battling government-backed forces to take control of the country while the U.S. has been providing logistical and intelligence support to the Saudi-led coalition launching air-strikes against the Houthi rebels. The campaign is now in its fourth week.
In a written statement on Monday, the navy said they were conducting “maritime security operations” in the area of the Arabian Sea. “In recent days, the U.S. Navy has increased its presence in this area as a result of the current instability in Yemen,” the statement said.