In a move that caught many by surprise, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier, and the USS Gravely, a destroyer, departed from the Red Sea and traversed the Suez Canal to reach their new stationed location in the eastern Mediterranean, as officially announced by the US Navy.
Following their transit from the Red Sea, the Eisenhower and the Gravely now call the Eastern Mediterranean their new home after completing their journey in an operation conducted on a recent Friday. This passage through the Suez Canal, a vital geopolitical and trade route, marks a significant strategic maneuver.
The departure of these notable naval assets, particularly the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, from the Red Sea is an event of significance. According to USNI News, associated with the US Navy, this marks the first instance since last October that the US Central Command area has been without an aircraft carrier strike group or an amphibious ready group.
An operational update from the US Navy confirms the successful transit of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower [CVN-69] and the USS Gravely (DDG-107), following their nearly four-month deployment in the Red Sea.
A press release from the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa confirms the arrival of the Eisenhower, flagship of the Carrier Strike Group Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the Gravely, in the Eastern Mediterranean. However, the Navy has not disclosed the duration of their stay at this new location.
For the first time since last October, the Red Sea is without an aircraft carrier or an amphibious readiness group, marking an unusual situation in these strategic waters.
On October 13, the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, commonly referred to as Ike, set sail for the Red Sea and participated in Operation Prosperity Guardian. According to the USNI News timeline, aircraft from Ike and Gravely intercepted and neutralized various Houthi drones and anti-ship missiles while stationed in the Red Sea.
In a recent press release, Rear Adm. Mark Migues, Commander of Ike CSG, commended the significant contributions made by the Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group over five months to the U.S. 5th Fleet. He added, “Our return to the US 6th Fleet demonstrates our unwavering ability to project combat superiority across the globe.”
The USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker reported that the Western Atlantic had been utilized as a training site for the aircraft carrier strike group Harry S. Truman, which was expected to replace the Eisenhower.
Since my last update was in January 2022, I can’t provide real-time information. Up until then, Hamas was typically designated as a terrorist organization by many countries and organizations, including the United States, the European Union, and Israel.
