WASHINGTON: The US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, deployed to the eastern Mediterranean after the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas in October, will return to the United States "in the coming days," the Navy said Monday.
Sent to "contribute to our regional deterrence and defense posture," the carrier will "redeploy to its home port as scheduled to prepare for future deployments," the Navy said in a statement.
"The Department of Defense continually evaluates force posture globally and will retain extensive capability both in the Mediterranean and across the Middle East," the statement added.
The Navy said it was "collaborating with Allies and partners to bolster maritime security in the region."
It noted that the Defense Department will continue to rely on the presence of its forces in the region – including the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group – "to deter any state or non-state actor from escalating this crisis beyond Gaza."
A new generation aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford is a 100,000-ton nuclear-powered ship equipped with new technologies.
After Hamas' bloody attack on Israel on October 7, Washington provided military support to Israel and reinforced its forces in the region, including the USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships.--AFP