NORFOLK, Va. — One day after the U.S. military participated in a strike against Houthi rebels, U.S. military leaders reacted to the action.
The military response, which included a barrage of missiles and airstrikes on locations in Yemen, involved Norfolk-based ships deployed to the Middle East.
"We gave 'em hell last night," said U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.
Del Toro spoke at a change of command ceremony aboard the USS Hary S. Truman at Naval Station Norfolk Friday, and wasted no time addressing the U.S. military's action Thursday night.
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Ship-based tomahawk cruise missiles were launched at Yemen to take out Houthis, the group blamed for attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea in support of Hamas's war with Israel.
“This kind of conduct just cannot continue," Del Toro emphasized. "We are going to continue to provide the necessary missile systems and the weapons systems and the intelligence that’s necessary."
Along with the strikes, he also noted on Jan. 9 the military deterred over 30 attacks by UAVs and said this all demonstrates the "tremendous investment” the Navy has made to modernize capabilities so missions go as smoothly as these missions have.
"I couldn’t be more proud of the performance of our fleet and our sailors," Del Toro said. "I also want to applaud our F-18 pilots on the Eisenhower that also conducted missions in Yemen."
The Norfolk-based USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group deployed to the area in October of 2023 as a show of support for Israel, joining the Norfolk-based Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group that was already there.
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As of Friday, the Ford was scheduled to return the week of Jan. 15 from an 8 month deployment.
During the change of command ceremony, Commander of U.S. European Command, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, also addressed the U.S. military's action in the Red Sea Thursday.
“There’s nothing in the world like the United States Navy, nothing like it," said Cavoli. "We showed that yesterday."
Newly-promoted 2nd Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Doug Perry, said the operations happening right now provide an important opportunity to learn about the operational environment and how threats occurred.
“We are on a cycle to learn from these operations and certainly, I think, we will learn a lot," Perry said.
Information that could prove invaluable as the fighting continues.
Perry officially took command of the 2nd Fleet and Joint Forces Command Norfolk Friday, replacing Vice Admiral Daniel Dwyer.
Perry is the third commander of both groups and says he is happy to be back in Norfolk. He lived in the city as a kid.
"Being back here and taking command here means the world," Perry said. "To see us advance 2nd Fleet's posture to truly be able to command mission-ready forces today, just six years since we decided we would stand it up, is phenomenal."
The 2nd Fleet and JFC Norfolk work with other countries to help protect and defend the Arctic and Atlantic between the U.S. and Europe.
Perry is also now the director of the Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence, NATO’s only such center in the United States.
It helps shape NATO’s maritime based joint operations.
