The warship, along with fellow destroyers Carney, Laboon, Mason and Thomas Hudner, have shot down dozens of attack drones and missiles in the region. The incident comes after the Laboon and F/A-18 Super Hornets shot down more than a dozen drones and missiles last month. A coalition of 13 nations warned of increased military response if Houthi assaults on commercial ships continue. Before Ike's arrival this fall, an aircraft carrier hadn't operated in U.S. Central Command’s waters since the end of the Afghanistan war in 2021. Tuesday's "unsafe and unprofessional" action comes as Navy warships continue to intercept drones in the region. It is the first carrier to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the Nimitz carrier strike group operated there in September 2020. The Eisenhower’s presence in the region marks the first time a carrier has operated in Central Command’s area of responsibility since 2021. The exercises involved more than 11,000 U.S. personnel who are on station there in case the Israel-Hamas war erupts into a larger conflict. Ike will be the first U.S. aircraft carrier to operate in the Middle Eastern waters of U.S. Central Command since the end of the Afghanistan war in 2021. Dwight D. Eisenhower's arrival in CENTCOM waters will mark the first time a carrier has operated in those Middle Eastern waters since 2021. Load More