US carrier Gerald R. Ford arrives in Croatia after Red Sea deployment

WASHINGTON

The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has arrived in the Croatian port city of Split after transiting from Souda Bay, Greece, where it underwent resupply, refueling and repairs, the Navy said.

The carrier, the largest in the US fleet, had been operating in the Red Sea as part of joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran launched late last month.

Capt. David Skarosi, the ship’s commanding officer, said the crew was “excited to be back in Split for some well-deserved liberty.”

While at Souda Bay, maintenance teams carried out repair assessments and continued investigating a fire that broke out in the ship’s laundry facilities on March 12, according to the statement. Personnel also worked to restore seven berthing compartments affected by the incident.

The carrier strike group departed Naval Station Norfolk in June 2025 and has since operated in the Arctic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Red Sea.

Deployed under the US 6th Fleet, the strike group includes Carrier Air Wing 8, Destroyer Squadron Two and the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill. It is tasked with supporting operations aimed at deterrence, economic security and maintaining open sea lanes, the Navy said.

The US and Israel have maintained airstrikes on Iran since Feb. 28, so far killing over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.