US Navy Reevaluates Global Force amid Middle East Tensions

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy's largest aircraft carrier, is returning to its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, after more than two months in the eastern Mediterranean, where it was deployed following a Hamas attack on Israel. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower also maintained a presence in the region, but the US Navy is reevaluating its global force requirements, leading to the Ford's redeployment. Tensions remain high with the Iran-backed Houthi movement in the Red Sea, which has launched attacks on commercial and US vessels. Israel is beginning a partial withdrawal of several thousand troops from the Gaza Strip after nearly three months of sustained wartime mobilization, but remains committed to the possibility of recalling its troops if needed. The US Navy stated that it retains extensive capability in the region to respond to these threats.