USS Carl Vinson Enters Indian Ocean as US Escalates Military Build-up for Yemen and Iran

The USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, has entered the Indian Ocean, marking a significant escalation in US military operations in the region. Satellite imagery captured on April 5 shows the vessel moving through the Malacca Strait, signaling a buildup of US forces ahead of potential military action against Yemen and Iran.

The USS Carl Vinson now joins the USS Harry S. Truman, creating a formidable presence of US aircraft carriers in West Asia. The deployment of these carriers is paired with the arrival of B-2 bombers at Diego Garcia, a key US military base in the Indian Ocean.

The increasing US military presence comes amid heightened tensions in Yemen. Since March 15, 2025, the US has been carrying out airstrikes against Ansarallah, Yemen’s armed forces, following the group’s announcement of resumed attacks on Israeli-linked vessels in the Red and Arabian Seas. These operations are in response to the blockade of Gaza by Israel, which Yemen sees as a humanitarian and strategic provocation.