Onboard a U.S. aircraft carrier, a cat-and-mouse game with Houthi forces plays out
Jets from the USS Eisenhower have conducted dozens of strikes in Yemen, but it’s unclear whether they can destroy the Houthis’ vast Iranian-supplied arsenal of missiles and drones.
ABOARD THE USS EISENHOWER, the Red Sea — One by one, more than two dozen aircraft—Navy F/A-18 fighter jets, E/A18 Growler radar jammers, E2 Hawkeye reconnaissance planes as well helicopters and tankers—roared off the deck of this aircraft carrier Saturday night to conduct joint U.S.-British attacks on Iranian-backed Houthis.
It was the second night in a row that aircraft from the Eisenhower have targeted Houthi militants in Yemen who are attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea. Earlier in the day, a nearby destroyer, the USS Gravely, fired Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Houthis.
Sailors on another nearby destroyer, the USS Mason, demonstrated the high-speed decision-making needed for them to shoot down incoming Houthi missiles before they strike cargo vessels or U.S. warships.
NBC News is currently the only news organization embedded with the U.S. Navy in the Red Sea while it is conducting strikes.
Adrenaline and morale appeared to be running high among crew members on both U.S. ships, despite the threat of incoming drones or ballistic missiles from the Houthis. As the Eisenhower, Mason and accompanying warships patrol the area, the weather is windy and warm, with a bright sun reflecting off the rippling water surrounding them.
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