Khaberni - Two American officials told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the "USS Gerald R. Ford", will return to the United States after a record-breaking deployment of more than 300 days.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the largest aircraft carrier in the world - which participated in the war against Iran and the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro - will leave the Middle East in the coming days, heading to its port in Virginia, expected to arrive by mid-May.
The officials mentioned that the arrival of the aircraft carrier "USS George H.W. Bush" in the region last week means that three American aircraft carriers are deployed in the Middle East, a level not recorded since 2003, during a fragile truce in the Iran war.
They also pointed out that the aircraft carrier "USS Abraham Lincoln" has also been in the region since January amid rising tensions with Tehran.
The officials added that this month, Ford broke the American record for the longest naval deployment after the Vietnam War, as its deployment lasted about 10 months following its departure from the Norfolk Naval Base in June.
These developments come amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump rejected the Iranian proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz and lift the blockade in exchange for delaying nuclear negotiations.
Axios reported from sources that Trump decided to maintain the naval blockade imposed on Iran as the primary option for pressure,
In response, the commander of the Iranian Navy, Admiral Shahram Irani, warned on Wednesday that "the enemies will soon very much fear a weapon," noting that this weapon is "extremely close to them."
He confirmed that the "Iranian Army's Naval Force carried out seven missile operations against the American aircraft carrier 'Abraham Lincoln', adding that the United States "was unable for a while to operate its planes or carry out aerial operations" from aboard it.
