Washington, DC [US], April 30 (ANI): A U.S. aircraft carrier, along with its strike group, is likely to leave the West Asia region in the coming days, CBS reported, citing confirmation from a senior U.S. official on Wednesday (local time).
The USS Gerald R. Ford, which is expected to depart the Middle East, is one of three U.S. carriers currently in the region, according to CBS News. The development comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to lift the Strait of Hormuz blockade and is reportedly considering a fresh wave of military action against Iran.
As U.S.-Iran talks stagnate, the return of the aircraft carrier is expected to provide relief to nearly 4,500 sailors who have been deployed for more than 10 months. The other two aircraft carriers in the region are the USS George H.W. Bush and the USS Abraham Lincoln, according to The Washington Post.
The Ford is deployed in the Red Sea, while the Lincoln and Bush are operating in the Arabian Sea to enforce the U.S. blockade targeting vessels carrying oil or goods from Iranian ports, The Washington Post reported. The Ford’s departure is therefore expected to reduce the U.S. naval presence supporting the blockade.
The carrier has been deployed for 309 days, marking the longest deployment of a modern U.S. aircraft carrier at sea. The extended duration has taken a toll on the ship, including a laundry room fire that injured several sailors and ongoing issues with onboard facilities. According to The Washington Post, once the ship returns to Virginia around mid-May, it will undergo repairs and maintenance.
During a congressional hearing on Wednesday (local time), several lawmakers questioned U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about the carrier’s extended deployment, The Washington Post reported.
“A tough decision-making process led to the extension,” Hegseth said, noting that it was done in consultation with the Navy. Typical carrier deployments last six to seven months to maintain operational schedules, the report added.
Earlier, Axios reported that CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper is set to brief President Trump as the U.S. military considers a new wave of operations in Iran.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, describing it as a high-risk strategy aimed at forcing Tehran to concede on its nuclear program.
In an effort to pressure Iran’s economy, Trump has opted to continue restricting its oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports. He assessed that alternative options—resuming bombing campaigns or disengaging from the conflict—carried greater risks than maintaining the blockade, the report said. (ANI)
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