US and Iranian ships turn back from Yemen

The U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and an Iranian ship convoy are leaving the waters around Yemen, defusing the threat of a face-off between the two navies.

The Pentagon said Friday that the Roosevelt is headed back to the Persian Gulf, while Iran’s nine-ship convoy is headed back toward Iran. The convoy turned around first, the Pentagon said.

“I think it’s fair to say that this appears to be a de-escalation of some of the tensions that were being discussed earlier in the week,” said Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren. 

{mosads}Warren said there were no communications or encounters between the ships. 

The U.S. had sent the carrier and a cruiser toward the Gulf of Aden after Iran had sent a flotilla of cargo ships, some suspected of carrying arms for Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Last week, the United Nations Security Council passed an arms embargo on Houthi leadership, and the White House warned Iran against attempts to resupply the rebels. 

The U.S. is providing intelligence and logistical support to a Saudi-led military coalition against the Houthis, which forced the pro-Western government to resign last fall.