After months of serving in the Eastern Mediterranean to provide protection for Israel, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group is finally heading home, according to an announcement made by the Navy on Monday. The Ford, along with its accompanying warships, will be replaced by the USS Bataan amphibious assault ship and its accompanying warships, the USS Mesa Verde and the USS Carter Hall. These three vessels have been transiting from the Red Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean over the past few days.

The decision for the Ford to return home comes after its extended deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean since the day after Hamas' October 7 attacks. While the carrier remained in the Eastern Mediterranean, its accompanying warships sailed into the Red Sea, intercepting incoming ballistic missiles and attack drones fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. This strategic positioning allowed the strike group to be within striking distance of Israel, underscoring the United States' concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict could escalate further.

Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid a visit to the USS Gerald R. Ford, highlighting the significance of the carrier's role in the region. The Ford, along with the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, has been part of a two-carrier presence in the area, emphasizing the United States' commitment to regional stability. The Eisenhower has recently patrolled near the Gulf of Aden, where numerous commercial vessels have come under attack in recent weeks.

In fact, just on Sunday, helicopters from the Eisenhower and its destroyer, the USS Gravely, responded to a distress call from the container ship Maersk Hangzhou, which was under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats. The small boats fired at the helicopters with crew-served weapons and small arms, prompting the helicopters to return fire. As a result, three of the four boats were sunk, and their crews were killed, according to the U.S. Central Command.

The continuous attacks on commercial ships in the region have led some companies to suspend transits through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden to the southern Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The deployment of the USS Bataan and its accompanying warships, the Mesa Verde and the Carter Hall, aims to maintain a strong presence in the area and ensure the safety of commercial vessels passing through the strait.

The USS Bataan, an amphibious assault ship, will be carrying approximately 2,000 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. These Marines provide sea-based expeditionary forces capable of supporting various missions. The Mesa Verde, a transport dock ship, and the Carter Hall, a dock landing ship, both have the capacity to carry amphibious landing craft and support rotary aircraft. Additionally, the Bataan is capable of carrying and supporting the Marine Corps' F-35 vertical takeoff fighter aircraft.

As the USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying warships prepare to sail for home in the coming days, the transition to the USS Bataan strike group signifies a shift in the United States' naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The Navy's commitment to protecting Israel and ensuring the safety of commercial vessels remains steadfast, as they adapt their deployments to address evolving threats in the region.