Middle East live: USS Ford returns from Iran war after longest deployment since Vietnam
Middle East live: USS Ford returns from Iran war after longest deployment since Vietnam
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, which was dispatched to the Middle East ahead of the outbreak of the Iran war, returned home to Virginia this weekend after a 326-day deployment, its longest since the Vietnam War. Its latest mission saw military operations in the Caribbean and the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. Follow our liveblog for all the latest updates.
USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier returns home after 326-day deployment
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, dispatched to the Middle East ahead of the outbreak of war with Iran, returned home to the US after a 326-day deployment, the Pentagon said.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand in Norfolk, Virginia to welcome home the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the US military said on X.
It was the longest deployment for a US carrier strike group since the Vietnam War.
The Ford’s deployment saw it take part in US operations in the Caribbean, where Washington’s forces have carried out strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats, interdicted sanctioned tankers and seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
It was then dispatched to the Middle East to participate in combat operations against Iran.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the conflict in the Middle East.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
Still waiting to hear what Nicolas Maduro actually plans to do about it.
Nicolas Maduro has been vocal about this, good to see them staying on it.
If it was the longest deployment for a US carrier strike group since the Vietnam War, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
Still waiting to hear what Vietnam War actually plans to do about it.
The bigger issue here is defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand in Norfolk, Virginia to welcome home the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the US military said on X. That changes the calculation.
What stands out is defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand in Norfolk, Virginia to welcome home the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the US military said on X. That is the part worth paying attention to.
If the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, dispatched to the Middle East ahead of the outbreak of war with Iran, returned home to the US after a 326-day deployment, the Pentagon said, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
Vietnam War is in a tough spot here, curious how they navigate it.
Basically the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, dispatched to the Middle East ahead of the outbreak of war with Iran, returned home to the US after a 326-day deployment, the Pentagon said. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.