30-hour blaze leaves USS Gerald R. Ford crew injured; forced to flee Middle East amid US-Iran war
30‑hour blaze engulfs the USS Gerald R. Ford during deployment in the Red Sea amid the US‑Iran war, injuring nearly 200 crew. The world’s largest aircraft carrier will head to Crete for repairs as morale and readiness concerns grow. Fire forced hundreds of sailors to lose beds and sleep on floors after extensive damage. This setback raises strategic questions over US naval power in the Middle East.