The destroyer Carney transited the Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Atlantic Ocean last week, the latest move in a deployment that saw the warship’s sailors battling Houthi rebel attacks in the Middle East for nearly six months.
While the Carney is based out of Mayport, Florida, officials declined to say whether the salty warship is in fact on its way home.
The Carney — which joined the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group this fall — first entered the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in October amid concerns about a larger conflict emerging in the region at the onset of the Israel-Hamas war.
It went on to steam at the forefront of the fight against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, and became the first confirmed U.S. warship to intercept a series of Houthi missiles and drones on Oct. 19, a barrage the Pentagon said was aimed at Israel.
In addition to intercepting Houthi missiles and drones, Carney transited the Strait of Hormuz last month and helped shoot down Iran’s missile and drone attack against Israel on April 14.
The Navy awarded the crew Combat Action Ribbons earlier this year, in connection to an engagement where the Carney shot down 14 Houthi air drones in December.
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