Boehner: Sending aircraft carrier to Yemen the ‘right thing to do’

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Wednesday offered support for the Obama administration’s decision to send Navy ships off the coast of Yemen to counter an Iranian convoy in the region.

“I think having our ships in place is the right thing to do. Hopefully, their involvement will not be needed,” Boehner said during a Capitol Hill press conference.

He added that there is “a lot of speculation about what may or may not be on” Iran’s ships in the region, but he doesn’t believe the U.S. should be intercepting Iranian vessels.

{mosads}“Well, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves,” Boehner said. “Clearly, we are assisting our allies who are involved in a struggle to keep the radical Houthis from taking control of all of Yemen.”

Iran is backing Shiite Houthi rebels who are fighting for control of Yemen. The Houthis are opposed by a Saudi-led coalition, leading to fears the fight could worsen sectarian tensions in the region.

The Defense Department on Tuesday confirmed it had deployed nine ships to the waters around Yemen, in response to nine Iranian cargo ships headed to the country.

Both flotillas now occupy the Gulf of Aden, according to a Pentagon spokesman. 

White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Tuesday said the U.S. ships were deployed with the “principal goal” of preserving “freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.”

He said the U.S. is “concerned” Iran’s convoy contains weapons to resupply the Houthi rebels.

The security situation presents a challenge for the White House, as it works to negotiate a lasting deal over Iran’s nuclear program.