The United States has deployed its largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), to Souda Bay, Crete, as it heads toward the Middle East.

Axar.az, citing Gulf News, reports that Souda Bay is a key NATO naval base and an important strategic hub for the US and its allies in the eastern Mediterranean.

Its location places it roughly 2,350 km (1,460 miles) from Middle Eastern hotspots, allowing rapid military response if needed.

The arrival of the nuclear-powered carrier — the world’s largest warship — is widely seen as a clear strategic signal amid rising Iran–US tensions, demonstrating American military readiness and regional presence.