US Announces Aircraft Carrier Strike Group Returning Home After Extended Deployment in Middle East
(Worthy News) – The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group will be returning home after being deployed to the eastern Mediterranean Sea after the war erupted in the Middle East, the US Navy says.
“Immediately following Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group was ordered to the eastern Mediterranean to contribute to our regional deterrence and defense posture,” the Navy said in a statement. “In the coming days, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group will redeploy to its home port as scheduled to prepare for future deployments.”
The Ford aircraft strike group will be replaced by the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, the USS Mesa Verde, and the USS Carter Hall. These three vessels, previously positioned in the Red Sea, have been moving towards the Eastern Mediterranean over the past few days.
The Navy has emphasized its ongoing efforts to enhance maritime security through collaboration with allies and partners in the region. Furthermore, the Defense Department will maintain the continuous presence of U.S. forces, including the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group, which the Pentagon states is crucial “to deter any state or non-state actor from escalating the crisis beyond Gaza.”
Recently, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been conducting patrols near the Gulf of Aden, strategically located at the entrance to the Red Sea waterway. This area has seen a recent uptick in attacks on commercial vessels, necessitating increased naval vigilance and presence in the region.
On Sunday, helicopters from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its accompanying destroyer, the USS Gravely, were deployed in response to a distress signal. The call came from the container ship Maersk Hangzhou, which was reportedly under assault by four small boats, allegedly backed by Iranian-supported Houthi forces.
According to the U.S. Central Command, as helicopters from the USS Eisenhower responded to the incident, they came under fire from crew-served weapons and small arms from the attacking boats. The helicopters engaged in return fire, resulting in the sinking of three out of the four boats and the loss of their crews.
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