Story perspectives

USS Gerald R. Ford Returns After Iran Strikes, Maduro Capture

4/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

The USS Gerald R. Ford completed a 295-day deployment that included strikes against Iran and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The carrier will return to Virginia in mid-May after a tour that saw three U.S. carriers operating in the Middle East.
A laundry-space fire forced repairs, leaving hundreds without sleeping quarters, prompting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to say the extension was driven by Southern and Central Command demands.

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Story summary

The USS Gerald R. Ford completed a 295-day deployment that included strikes against Iran and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The carrier will return to Virginia in mid-May after a tour that saw three U.S. carriers operating in the Middle East.
A laundry-space fire forced repairs, leaving hundreds without sleeping quarters, prompting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to say the extension was driven by Southern and Central Command demands.