Washington - The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest warship, initially deployed to the eastern Mediterranean after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, will return to its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, as scheduled for preparations for future deployments, according to an official statement from the US Sixth Fleet on Monday. The statement did not specify the exact date of the warship's redeployment but mentioned that it would take place "in the coming days."

Commissioned in 2017, the USS Gerald R. Ford is the newest aircraft carrier in the US Navy and leads the Navy's first new carrier class designed in over 40 years. The 100,000-tonne warship, carrying F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighters, was positioned off the coast of Israel following the Hamas attacks that resulted in over 1,200 casualties. The deployment aimed to enhance the US "regional deterrence and defense posture," as stated by the Sixth Fleet.

The Department of Defense (DoD) continues to assess its global force posture and affirms its substantial capabilities in both the Mediterranean and the broader Middle East. The statement mentioned the presence of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, capable of carrying Marine Corps F-35 stealth fighters, along with the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall and amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde operating in the eastern Mediterranean.

Additionally, US guided-missile destroyers, including those involved in countering Houthi drones and missiles in recent weeks, are stationed in the region. The Sixth Fleet emphasized collaboration with allies and partners to enhance maritime security in the area, with a commitment to leveraging collective force posture to deter any escalation beyond the crisis in Gaza.