ISTANBUL

The US’ largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, has reached the Red Sea after passing through the Suez Canal, the US Naval Institute (USNI) reported Friday.

The USS Gerald R. Ford transited the canal alongside the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) as part of its deployment to the region amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

The Pentagon previously announced that the Ford carrier strike group had been ordered to deploy to the Middle East in mid-February, with the mission expected to continue until next May.

With the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea, the US now has two aircraft carriers operating in nearby waters.

The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently operating in the Red Sea, while the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) carrier strike group is deployed in the Arabian Sea.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the US and Israel launched a large-scale attack Saturday against Iran, killing more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls and senior military officials.

Iran has retaliated with sweeping barrages that have targeted US bases, diplomatic facilities and military personnel across the region, as well as multiple Israeli cities.

The attacks have continued to escalate.