US carrier Ford, deployed in war with Iran, to go to port temporarily after fire
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart March 17, 2026
WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, deployed in operations against Iran, is expected to temporarily pull into port after a fire on board, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, the 18th day of the war with Tehran.
The carrier, America's newest and the world's largest, is currently located in the Red Sea. It is expected to temporarily go to Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete, the two officials said.
The warship has been deployed for nine months, including taking part in operations against Venezuela in the Caribbean prior to arriving in the Middle East. The length of the deployment has raised questions about morale of the sailors on board and the readiness of the warship.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not say how long the Ford was expected to remain in Crete.
One of the officials said nearly 200 sailors were treated for smoke-related injuries when the fire broke out in the ship's main laundry area. The fire took hours to bring under control and had an impact on roughly 100 sleeping berths.
The world's largest aircraft carrier, the U.S. Navy nuclear-powered Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) arrives in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, December 1, 2025. Seaman Abigail Reyes/U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
One service member was flown off the ship for injuries, the official said.
The New York Times first reported the extent of the damage on board the warship. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
After the fire initially broke out, the U.S. military had said that there was no damage to the ship's propulsion plant and the aircraft carrier was fully operational.
The United States has carried out strikes against more than 7,000 targets since it started operations against Iran on February 28.
The Ford, with more than 5,000 sailors aboard, has more than 75 military aircraft, including fighter aircraft like the F-18 Super Hornets. The Ford has sophisticated radar that can help control air traffic and navigation.
The supporting ships, such as the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser Normandy, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers Thomas Hudner, Ramage, Carney, and Roosevelt, include surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
A U.S. Navy sailor prepares an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter for launch on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, while operating in support of the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran from an undisclosed location, February 28, 2026. U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS
Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Howard Goller
Idrees Ali Thomson Reuters
National security correspondent focusing on the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Reports on U.S. military activity and operations throughout the world and the impact that they have. Has reported from over two dozen countries to include Iraq, Afghanistan, and much of the Middle East, Asia and Europe. From Karachi, Pakistan.
Phil Stewart Thomson Reuters
Phil Stewart has reported from more than 60 countries, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, China and South Sudan. An award-winning Washington-based national security reporter, Phil has appeared on NPR, PBS NewsHour, Fox News and other programs and moderated national security events, including at the Reagan National Defense Forum and the German Marshall Fund. He is a recipient of the Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence and the Joe Galloway Award.
