NYN | News
The Indian military news outlet Indian Defence Review reported that the mission of the U.S. aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea — intended to showcase American military strength — ended with what it described as a humiliating setback for the U.S. Navy in one of the world’s most sensitive maritime regions.
According to the outlet, which specializes in defense affairs, the high-risk mission was marked by a series of costly failures, including major technical malfunctions and internal incidents, such as unprecedented aircraft accidents aboard the carrier — an event never before recorded in U.S. naval history.
The report stated that Washington incurred losses amounting to billions of dollars, placing the U.S. Department of Defense under significant pressure regarding the readiness of its fleets to confront 21st-century threats.
It added that the presence of the Truman and its strike group failed to deter what it called “asymmetric threats” posed by the Houthis (Ansar Allah), whether against U.S. naval forces or shipping routes bound for Israel — the primary reason behind the U.S. intervention, which ultimately ended in failure.
Despite the intensity of U.S. operations, the report noted, the Houthis remained active and successfully monitored and regulated shipping traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait — in direct defiance of American military presence.
The report further highlighted that the strategic ambiguity left in the wake of this mission pushed the Pentagon to launch a comprehensive review of carrier operations, revealing the limits of U.S. power in securing vital maritime routes and the declining deterrent capability of its naval forces.
Under the weight of relentless Houthi strikes — involving missiles, naval attacks, and drones — then-President Donald Trump was eventually forced to call on the Houthis to negotiate a swift agreement, under which U.S. aircraft carriers withdrew from the Red Sea.
The Indian site’s spotlight on the Truman’s withdrawal came in the context of escalating trade tensions, following President Trump’s insistence on imposing a 50% tariff increase on Indian goods — a move that strained commercial ties between Mumbai and Washington.
