U.S. officials said the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has departed the Middle East, after having previously taken part in military operations against Iran.
At present, the U.S. military has deployed three carrier strike groups in the Middle East—the USS Abraham Lincoln, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and the USS George H.W. Bush. The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike groups are currently conducting a maritime blockade of Iranian ports in the Arabian Sea.
Since June last year, the USS Gerald R. Ford has been continuously deployed at sea, taking part in U.S. military operations against Venezuela and Iran and thereby breaking the record for the longest continuous carrier deployment by the U.S. Navy since the Vietnam War. On March 12, a fire broke out in the ship's aft laundry room, injuring three sailors and prompting more than 200 others to seek treatment for smoke inhalation. Following the incident, the Ford was forced to withdraw from the Middle East theater and subsequently called at ports in Greece and Croatia for repairs and maintenance. On April 17, U.S. officials disclosed that the Ford had returned to the Red Sea to resume its mission. (CCTV News)