The world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford steams alongside USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) during a fueling-at-sea in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in this photo taken on Oct. 11, 2023 and released by the US Navy on Oct. 14, 2023. Photo: US Naval Forces Central Command / US 6th Fleet / Handout via REUTERS

The US Navy said on Monday that the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier will return to its home port in Virginia, ending its deployment to the eastern Mediterranean following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel.

“Immediately following Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group was ordered to the eastern Mediterranean to contribute to our regional deterrence and defense posture,” the Navy said in a statement. “In the coming days, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group will redeploy to its home port as scheduled to prepare for future deployments.”

The nuclear-powered Ford, the Navy’s newest and largest carrier with over 4,000 personnel and eight squadrons of aircraft, became a symbol of US support for Israel in the wake of the Hamas atrocities. It has the capability to independently launch strikes on Lebanon, Syria, or Iran, the main international sponsor of Hamas.

On Oct. 7, Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas invaded Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 240 others as hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign of air strikes and ground operations aimed at eliminating Hamas from Gaza, the neighboring Palestinian enclave ruled by the terror group.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had extended the Ford’s deployment three times, in large part to deter Iran and Iran-backed groups — especially Hezbollah, the terror group based in Lebanon — from attacking Israel and sparking a wider regional conflict. Clashes between Israeli and Hezbollah forces have intensified in recent weeks.

Iran-backed groups have also targeted US troops in the region, leading Washington to respond multiple times since Oct. 7 with limited military strikes against targets in Iraq and Syria.

“The Department of Defense continually evaluates force posture globally and will retain extensive capability both in the Mediterranean and across the Middle East,” the US Navy said, listing a range of military assets — including another aircraft carrier — currently deployed to the region. “Also, we are collaborating with allies and partners to bolster maritime security in the region. DoD [Department of Defense] will continue to leverage its collective force posture in the region to deter any state or non-state actor from escalating this crisis beyond Gaza.”