U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) have released an image showing rows of air-dropped munitions being prepared aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
Experts believe that the release of the image appears to serve both an operational and strategic messaging purpose: to reassure allies, signal resolve, deter adversaries by showcasing the scale of U.S. readiness and firepower, and underscoring the scale and intensity of ongoing American operations targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels military sites in Yemen.
The caption accompanying the image reads: “Arming aircraft aboard USS Harry S. Truman for operations against Iran-backed Houthis…
The image highlights the sheer volume of ordnance being brought to bear, with what appear to be dozens of precision-guided bombs, likely including Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), lined up for loading. Such munitions are commonly used in high-precision strikes against infrastructure, launch sites, and command nodes.
The USS Harry S. Truman is part of a U.S. naval task force operating in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as part of continued efforts to degrade the Houthi militia’s capabilities following a series of missile and drone attacks targeting international shipping lanes.
In March 2025, U.S. forces carried out more than 47 airstrikes across multiple provinces in Yemen, focusing on what CENTCOM described as Houthi-controlled military facilities, weapons depots, and missile launch platforms.
Over recent months, Houthi forces—widely regarded as a proxy of Iran—have launched repeated strikes against commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden. These operations have prompted a multinational response led by the United States and its allies under initiatives such as Prosperity Guardian, aimed at safeguarding freedom of navigation and deterring further aggression.
U.S. airstrikes have targeted radar sites, missile storage locations, air defense systems, and drone production facilities.
CENTCOM continues to frame these operations as both defensive and necessary to prevent future attacks on civilian and military shipping.