“This isn’t exactly where we expected to be on this deployment,” said Captain James Huddleston, the deputy commander of Carrier Air Wing 3 who regularly flies missions over the Red Sea and Yemen. An F/A-18 with afterburner prepares to launch from the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. Officials believe Iran was at one point using one of its suspected spy ships which has long been parked in the southern Red Sea, the Behshad, to help the Houthis target vessels there. Seconds or minutes to respondMeanwhile, the crew on board the USS Gravely destroyer in the Red Sea are the tip of the spear against inbound Houthi missiles and drones. But more often, the ship is deploying its anti-air and anti-surface missiles at closer ranges as Houthi missiles and drones close in.

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Persons: Dwight D, Eisenhower, “, ”, Marc Miguez, Miguez, James Huddleston, ” Huddleston, Ike, Scott Pisczek, Marvin Scott, Samad, Iran’s, JG James Rodney, Sailors, “ It’s, FC1 Michael Zito, we’ve, ” CNN’s Scott Pisczek Organizations: Eisenhower CNN, Eisenhower, US, CNN, US Navy, Jets, Carrier, Carrier Air Wing, Carrier Air, Defense Intelligence Agency, Officials, Information Locations: Iran, Yemen, Sea, Russia, China, Red, ”, India, Djibouti, Gulf, Aden