 The Ike had its deployment extended twice amid conflict near the Red Sea from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. While deployed, the strike group defended off dozens of Houthi-employed one-way attacks on unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater vehicles. These Houthi attacks were targeting critical shipping lanes, civilian merchant vessels, and military units using the passage across the Strait of Hormuz, Gulfs of Oman and Aden, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Red Sea.