Houthi claim of attack on U.S. aircraft carrier false, U.S. officials say

A claim by Yemen's Houthi group on Saturday that its forces had attacked the U.S. aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea is false, Reuters reported citing two U.S. officials.

"That is incorrect," one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Houthis first launched drone and missile strikes in the key waterway for trade in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In more than 70 attacks, the Houthis have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers. But U.S. warships have successfully intercepted almost daily Houthi attacks and repeatedly struck Houthi targets inside Yemen.

The Eisenhower, which ended its deployment to the Red Sea on Saturday and will briefly reposition to the Mediterranean Sea, rushed to the region in the days following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.

The Pentagon announced the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) will follow the Eisenhower, heading to Middle Eastern waters once it completes an exercise in the Pacific.

Earlier the Houthi group said it had launched several ballistic missiles at the Eisenhower in the northern Red Sea and the operation had achieved its objectives, without elaborating. 

This is the second claimed attack by Houthis targeting the Eisenhower in the Red Sea in less than a month. The first claimed attack against the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was on May 31, but Washington has not confirmed the aircraft carrier was targeted.

The group also said it directly struck a commercial ship, Transworld Navigator, with a missile in the Arabian Sea. It did not say when the attacks took place.

(With input from agencies)