The USS Gerald R. Ford was redeployed to the Caribbean in late 2025 as part of a significant US naval presence related to “Operation Southern Spear,” which included a large build‑up of warships, aircraft and troops in the region and US military actions against vessels linked to Venezuela. The carrier strike group’s assets, including its fighter jets, supported broader operations that coincided with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and subsequent enforcement actions such as tanker seizures. The recent announcement of its transfer to the Middle East adds thousands more troops, fighter aircraft, guided‑missile destroyers and other combat power capable of conducting offensive operations and providing layered defence.
Could US hit Iran soon? ‘Weeks‑long Iran operations’ possible as USS Gerald R. Ford set to join Abraham Lincoln in Middle East
