WASHINGTON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford will leave the Middle East and begin sailing for home in the coming days, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The move is "an expected relief for roughly 4,500 sailors who have been deployed for 10 months -- but a loss of significant firepower as peace talks between the United States and Iran stagnate," said the report.

The Ford Carrier Strike Group began its latest deployment on June 24, 2025, departing from the U.S. state of Virginia for the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, later deploying to Latin America for counter-narcotics operations and then to the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated.

It is one of three carriers operating in the Middle East region, alongside USS George H.W. Bush and USS Abraham Lincoln.

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to receive a briefing on new plans for potential military action in Iran on Thursday from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), online media Axios reported on Wednesday.

"The briefing signals that Trump is seriously considering resuming major combat operations either to try to break the logjam in negotiations or to deliver a final blow before ending the war," said the report.

CENTCOM has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful" wave of strikes on Iran -- likely including infrastructure targets -- in hopes of breaking the negotiating deadlock, it said, citing three sources with knowledge. ■