USS Iwo Jima Returns Home After Record-Breaking Deployment in Caribbean

USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, concluded its nearly 10-month deployment to the U.S. Southern Command's Fourth Fleet area of responsibility by returning to Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday. The ship's ARG (Amphibious Ready Group) carried out over 6,000 sorties and flew for more than 1,850 hours during its mission. This deployment marked a significant milestone as it was the first operation under Operation Southern Spear, which focuses on enhanced counter-narcotics efforts in the region. Additionally, Iwo Jima played a crucial role in Operation Absolute Resolve by facilitating the exfiltration of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Meanwhile, aircraft carrier USS Nimitz departed Kingston, Jamaica, after completing its 2026 Southern Seas goodwill tour and is now en route to the United States. Accompanying Nimitz were destroyer USS Gridley and oiler USNS Patuxent, which also left their ports in Ponce, Puerto Rico. During its stay in the Caribbean, Nimitz conducted a distinguished visitor tour for officials from the Dominican Republic and showcased its firepower with a live fire demonstration involving the Mk 45 Mod 4 5-inch gun.

In parallel developments, U.S. naval forces continue to enforce a blockade against Iran in the Middle East. USS Abraham Lincoln recently completed a replenishment-at-sea operation with USNS Arctic in the Arabian Sea, while USS George H.W. Bush remains undisclosed but active within its area of responsibility. These operations have led to the redirection of 134 commercial vessels and disabling seven ships attempting to bypass the blockade.

The U.S. also maintains a strong naval presence in the Indo-Pacific region with the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (CSG) operating in the Philippine Sea under the Seventh Fleet's jurisdiction. The CSG has been conducting routine operations, including carrier qualifications for F-35C fighter aircraft and fueling-at-sea exercises to ensure readiness and operational continuity across various strategic areas globally.