U.S. Media: The "Ford" Aircraft Carrier Will Soon Depart the Middle East for the U.S.

According to multiple U.S. media outlets citing U.S. officials on April 29, the U.S. Navy's USS Ford aircraft carrier strike group is expected to depart the Middle East and return to the United States in the coming days.

The Washington Post reported that it is currently unclear when the USS Ford will leave the Middle East, but one U.S. official stated that the carrier is expected to return to Virginia in mid-May.

Currently, the U.S. military has three carrier strike groups deployed in the Middle East: the USS Lincoln, the USS Ford, and the USS Bush. The USS Lincoln and USS Bush carrier strike groups are conducting maritime blockade operations against Iranian ports in the Arabian Sea.

Since June of last year, the USS Ford has been continuously deployed at sea, participating in U.S. military operations against Venezuela and Iran, breaking the record for the longest deployment of U.S. aircraft carriers since the Vietnam War. On March 12, a fire broke out in the laundry room at the stern of the carrier, injuring three sailors, and over 200 sailors received treatment for smoke inhalation. The USS Ford subsequently had to withdraw from the Middle East combat zone and went to ports in Greece and Croatia for repairs and maintenance. U.S. officials revealed on April 17 that the USS Ford has returned to the Red Sea area to carry out its mission.