WASHINGTON, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States will send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, according to the Pentagon.

The Harry S. Truman will be joined by the Carl Vinson "to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on Tuesday.

Tensions between the Houthis and the U.S. military have escalated since Washington launched fresh airstrikes on Yemen on March 15.