In recent weeks, a series of claims circulated across social media platforms alleging that the Houthi rebels had successfully targeted and caused significant damage to the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea. These assertions were propelled by the appearance of images and videos purporting to show the aftermath of such strikes. However, upon closer examination and verification by multiple sources, these claims have been found to be unsubstantiated and the supporting media misleading.
The narrative began to take shape when Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced missile strikes against the USS Eisenhower, followed by purported evidence of these attacks flooding social media. One widely-viewed post claimed, “CONFIRMED: uss eisenhower (pictured docked for repairs in souda bay) hit and severely damaged by multiple houthi ballistic missiles.” Accompanying the text was a satellite picture of a docked ship. Another post showcased a satellite photo of an aircraft carrier with a conspicuous black mark along its runway, alongside the caption “Impaled.. #Eisenhower He is God,” implying significant damage.
However, these claims quickly unraveled under the scrutiny of fact-checking entities. Newsweek’s Fact Check team and other sources including Newschecker and Check Your Fact investigated the imagery and found that the photos and videos were either unrelated or digitally altered. Specifically, the image that was alleged to depict the Eisenhower docked for repairs was, in fact, a photo of Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia’s only aircraft carrier, docked in Murmansk. This vessel had a history of damage and was due for return to the fleet, having caught fire in 2022, with Russian officials projecting a return to service in the first quarter of the current year.
The other image, purportedly showing a damaged Eisenhower in Norfolk, Virginia, was identified as a doctored photo with added artificial damage. For an impact of the magnitude depicted, the surrounding areas on the ship appeared unaffected, further debunking the legitimacy of the claim.
Moreover, a video circulating online, alleged to be showing smoke rising from the USS Eisenhower following a Houthi strike, was actually a video from 2020 showing a fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego. This confusion was cleared up through comparing keyframes of the video with known footage of the Bonhomme Richard incident.
The Pentagon has officially refuted the Houthi claims of successful strikes on the Eisenhower or any other vessels as mentioned. A spokesperson told Newsweek that no such strikes had occurred, nullifying the claims of an alleged attack on the carrier or the port of Norfolk.
Relevant articles:
– Fact Check: Do Photos Show USS Eisenhower Damage After Houthi Strike? , Newsweek, 06/05/2024
– Fact Check: 2020 Video Shared As Alleged Houthi Attack On US Aircraft Carrier In Red Sea, Newschecker, 06/03/2024
– FACT CHECK: Video Claims To Show USS Dwight D. Eisenhower On Fire, Check Your Fact, 06/04/2024
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