Escorted by two destroyers, the US Navy's 'Ford' aircraft carrier has left the eastern Mediterranean and passed through the Suez Canal. It is currently carrying out missions in the Red Sea.
CNN quoted a US official as saying that this redeployment is part of broader US military actions aimed at maintaining combat readiness, so as to promptly resume operations against Iran in the event the US-Iran ceasefire agreement fails to hold.
At present, the US Navy's 'Lincoln' carrier strike group is operating in the Middle East. With the arrival of the 'Ford', the US military resumes its 'dual carrier' deployment posture in the region.
According to US officials, the 'Bush' carrier strike group departed Norfolk, Virginia, on the US East Coast for the Middle East in late March and is currently in the waters off South Africa. Upon arrival in the Middle East, the carrier strike group may join the existing formation to form a 'three-carrier' deployment, or it may relieve the 'Ford' in its mission.
Since last June, the 'Ford' carrier has been continuously deployed at sea, participating in US military operations against Venezuela and Iran in succession, setting a new record for the longest deployment of a US aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War.