"USS Ford Aircraft Carrier Completes Eight-Month Deployment, Returns Home"

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has returned to its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia after an eight-month deployment, which was extended due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The deployment was part of the Pentagon's efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating into a larger regional war. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps still maintain a significant presence in the Middle East, with an amphibious ready group off Israel and the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group in the Red Sea. The Ford's return marks the end of a prolonged deployment that saw it spending 239 days at sea, and its sailors were commended for their performance during the extended mission.