ARABIAN GULF (July 19, 2021) Sailors assigned to the expeditionary sea base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) remove cargo from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, during flight operations in the Arabian Gulf. Lewis B. Puller is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dawson Roth)