The US aircraft carrier Gerald Ford has returned to a naval base on the Greek island of Crete, according to Agence France-Presse, after participating in the war against Iran.
The carrier, which had stopped at this base in February to resupply with provisions, fuel, and ammunition, reported on March 12 a fire in a laundry room, injuring two crew members, according to the US military.
The Gerald Ford was one of two carriers, along with the USS Abraham Lincoln, that participated in the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.
Daniel Schneiderman, director of global policy programs at Penn Washington University, said: "Taking Ford out of service for a significant period of time means reducing American support for the war effort."
He pointed out that this carrier, which was stationed in the Mediterranean Sea, played "an important role in defending Israel."
He noted that if some of the warships from its strike group remained near Israel, it would lessen the operational impact of its retreat to Crete.
The aircraft carrier Gerald Ford has been deployed at sea for about nine months and has previously participated in US operations in the Caribbean where US forces carried out strikes on boats they said were smuggling drugs, intercepted sanctioned tankers, before participating in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas.
This comes as the war continues for the 24th consecutive day, with the exchange of missile and drone strikes between Iran and the US-Israeli alliance, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
