The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) returns to the Pacific after an eight-month deployment in the Middle East.

The carrier has been operating in the CENTCOM region since July to protect merchant vessels from Houthi rebel threats.

For three weeks, both the Theodore Roosevelt and USS Abraham Lincoln ensured naval security in the Middle East.

The two-carrier presence was essential to safeguard merchant shipping and deter Iranian actions in the region.

This extended deployment follows a pattern of longer missions since tensions escalated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Carrier missions have increased under orders from US Secretary of Defense, especially after the 2023 Hamas attacks and Houthi threats.

As the Theodore Roosevelt returns to the Pacific, it will resume its role in maritime defense and security in the Indo-Pacific region.