# Red Sea
Latest news and articles about Red Sea
Total: 12 articles found
US Supercarrier Ford Heads to Crete for Repairs After Red Sea Fire, Underscoring Strain on Naval Presence
A fire aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford on March 12 has forced the ship to dock at Souda Bay, Crete, for more than a week of repairs. The blaze injured three sailors, affected hundreds with smoke inhalation, and damaged dozens of compartments and sleeping berths, highlighting strains on carrier readiness after an extended 266-day deployment amid heightened regional tensions.
EU Says Middle East Fighting ‘Not Our War,’ Rules Out Escort Missions in Strait of Hormuz
The EU’s foreign policy chief said Europe will not treat the Middle Eastern fighting as its war and that member states will not extend their maritime escort operation into the Strait of Hormuz. Brussels prefers diplomatic measures and limited naval reinforcement in existing areas rather than taking on new, riskier missions in a strategic chokepoint.
Fire Rages Aboard USS Gerald R. Ford for Over 30 Hours; Hundreds of Sailors Forced to Sleep on Floors Amid Extended Deployment
A laundry-room fire aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford burned for more than 30 hours before being controlled, damaging berthing areas and forcing over 600 sailors to sleep on floors and tables. The incident comes during an extended tenth month of deployment in the Red Sea and raises questions about strain on the carrier, crew welfare, and U.S. naval readiness.
Iran Says It Will Target USS Ford Support Facilities After Claiming Hundreds of Missile and Drone Strikes
The IRGC announced it has fired about 700 missiles and 3,600 drones, claimed hits on 18 US- and Israeli-linked vessels, and said it destroyed four THAAD systems. It has also declared logistics facilities supporting the USS Ford carrier strike group in the Red Sea to be legitimate targets, a move that elevates the risk to naval operations and maritime trade.
Fire Aboard USS Gerald R. Ford at Sea: Minor Damage, Major Questions for US Carrier Operations
A March 12 laundry fire aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea was contained with two sailors treated for injuries, and the carrier declared fully operational. While the incident caused no apparent damage to propulsion or combat systems, it highlights questions about maintenance, risk management and the perception of U.S. naval readiness amid heightened regional tensions with Iran.
Iran Escalates Maritime Campaign: 'Real Pledge 4' Wave 44 Strikes Israeli Bases and U.S. Fifth Fleet
Iran launched the 44th wave of a sustained operation called “Real Pledge 4,” striking Israeli military sites and elements of the U.S. Fifth Fleet. The action reflects Tehran’s growing maritime capabilities and a strategy of calibrated escalation that raises the risk of direct clashes, disrupts shipping and pressures regional diplomacy.
Fire Aboard USS Gerald R. Ford in Red Sea Briefly Disrupts Carrier While on Iran-Linked Mission
A laundry fire aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea on 12 March was contained and left the carrier’s propulsion intact, but two sailors were injured and are being treated. The ship remains on station supporting operations related to Iran, and the incident spotlights readiness and reliability questions surrounding the high-profile Ford-class program.
Macron Signals Readiness to Send French Warships to the Strait of Hormuz to Protect European Shipping
French president Emmanuel Macron announced that France may extend naval deployments to the Strait of Hormuz to protect shipping and European interests, following talks with Greek and Cypriot leaders. The pledge underscores Paris’s intent to project maritime power but raises the risk of confrontation with Iran and tests European willingness to back naval security operations.
Macron Signals Possible French Naval Move into Strait of Hormuz to Protect European Shipping
In Cyprus, President Emmanuel Macron said France would sustain naval forces in the Mediterranean and Red Sea and could extend deployments to the Strait of Hormuz to protect shipping and European interests. The proposal signals Paris’s readiness to project power into a volatile chokepoint but carries risks of confrontation with Iran and logistical and diplomatic challenges for coalition-building.
Somalia at a Crossroads: Fragile Recovery Threatened by Somaliland Recognition and Regional Rivalry
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has jolted an already fragile Somalia, risking fresh fragmentation and external militarisation. Persistent internal disputes, a resilient al-Shabaab insurgency and competing foreign patrons complicate Mogadishu’s path to stability even as pockets of economic and social recovery appear in the capital.
US Destroyer Departs Eilat as Fifth Fleet Reaffirms Routine Presence in Red Sea Corridor
The US destroyer USS Delbert D. Black left the Israeli port of Eilat on 1 February after a routine visit, US Central Command and the Fifth Fleet said on social media. CENTCOM also released images of maintenance aboard another deployed destroyer, underscoring ongoing US naval presence and sustainment operations in the Middle East maritime corridor.
US Destroyer Concludes Port Call to Eilat, Reinforcing Red Sea Presence
The USS Delbert D. Black completed a port call to Eilat on 1 February before departing, a move framed by the US Fifth Fleet as routine but strategically significant. The visit reinforces Washington's maritime presence in the Red Sea corridor, signaling deterrence and reassurance to regional partners amid persistent security risks to shipping.