The US Navy's largest aircraft carrier suddenly appears at a NATO military base! What does this signal?

According to CCTV News, the main station reporter learned on February 23rd local time that the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, has arrived at Souda Bay on Crete Island, Greece.

Image source: CCTV News

The island hosts a NATO military base, and is an important strategic facility for Greece, the U.S., and NATO in the Eastern Mediterranean. Subsequently, the “Ford” strike group will continue heading east, expected to soon reach waters near Israel.

On February 15th, satellite images showed the U.S. “Abraham Lincoln” aircraft carrier near the coast of Oman. On the same day, the U.S. also released footage of the “Abraham Lincoln” carrier strike group sailing and flying.

The “Abraham Lincoln” aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East in January this year. Recently, the U.S. has also dispatched the “Gerald R. Ford” aircraft carrier to the Middle East. The last time the U.S. deployed a “double aircraft carrier” in the Middle East was in April last year. The “Harry S. Truman” and “Carl Vins” carrier strike groups also launched large-scale airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen.

According to CCTV News, on January 27th local time, during the United Nations daily briefing, a reporter asked about the arrival of the U.S. “Abraham Lincoln” aircraft carrier in the Middle East, near the Iranian border.

The UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson expressed deep concern over the situation in the Persian Gulf region, calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent escalation.

Militarily, Iran has stated it is in a “highest alert” state. Iran explicitly warned the U.S. that if attacked, it would target U.S. military bases in the Middle East in retaliation. Analysts believe that if the U.S. launches an attack, Iran is very likely to use ballistic missiles to directly strike U.S. targets. Among Middle Eastern countries, Iran’s ballistic missile capability is among the top, with ranges covering all U.S. military bases in the region. During the Israel-Iran conflict in 2025, Iran first launched three types of ballistic missiles—“Conqueror-1,” “Mudstone,” and “Castle Destroyer”—breaking through Israeli interception.

Image source: CCTV News

Based on the current deployment of U.S. forces to the Middle East, the Pentagon may be preparing for a quick strike against Iran, but there are still concerns. First, during the transit of the carrier strike groups to the Middle East, Iran has had sufficient time to prepare and strengthen protection for key figures and facilities. Second, if conflict erupts, Iran’s resolve and scale of retaliation will be greater, and the U.S. cannot guarantee the safety of frontline forces and regional allies. Moreover, Iran still shows willingness to engage in dialogue over nuclear issues, and the current crisis is not insurmountable through negotiations.

Daily Economic News compiled from CCTV News

(Source: Daily Economic News)