USS Gerald R. Ford departs Middle East theater — arrives Croatia for maintenance

The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived at the Croatian port of Split on Day 29, the US embassy confirmed. AFP journalists observed the vessel entering port. The embassy described it as a 'scheduled port visit and maintenance.' The Ford had been part of Middle East war operations throughout the Iran campaign and had recently returned to Crete after a laundry fire onboard injured two crew members. The carrier's departure from the Middle East theater leaves a significant gap in US strike capacity: the Ford's air wing comprises dozens of aircraft (F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler jammers, E-2D Hawkeyes, and others) that have conducted strike and support missions throughout the campaign. The USS Abraham Lincoln remains in theater and presumably continues operations. The decision to pull the Ford for maintenance at this stage of the conflict — while Iran is escalating with attacks on US bases, Gulf states, and now claiming a strike on a US logistics vessel — will face scrutiny. The withdrawal halves US carrier aviation capacity in the region at a critical juncture.