SOÚDA, Greece, March 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier that has been part of Middle East war operations, on Monday returned to a naval base in Crete, an AFP photographer said. The vessel, which took on food, fuel and ammunition at Souda Bay in February, reported a laundry fire on March 12 which injured two crew members. The United States and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran in late February following a major US military buildup in the Middle East that included the Ford and another aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln. "Taking the Ford off the board for any significant length of time means less US support to war efforts," said Daniel Schneiderman, director of global policy programs at Penn Washington. Senator Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has sharply criticised the extended deployment of the ship.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 23, 2026 12:26 UTC