White House denies US aircraft carrier headed to Yemen is for security purposes

Navy officials said on Monday that the USS Theodore Roosevelt would beef up security following reports of Iranian ships heading toward Yemen, possibly carrying arms for the Shiite Houthi rebels. Such shipments would be in violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution. But on Tuesday, White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said from Washington DC the Roosevelt’s primary purpose is to ensure goods can transit safely through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.