US aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford docks in Crete on its way to Middle East

The USS Gerald R. Ford is docked at Souda Bay on the Mediterranean island of Crete on Tuesday.

Under military orders from Donald Trump, the aircraft carrier is deploying to the Middle East to join 13 U.S. warships already stationed in the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived late last month, along with nine destroyers and three frigates. The duration of its stay at Souda Bay remains unclear. Souda Bay is regarded as one of the most important bases in the Mediterranean due to its capacity to support major warships, underscoring its strategic and geopolitical significance in the region.