The aircraft carrier "USS Abraham Lincoln" is scheduled to return this Thursday to the United States after being deployed for nearly ten months in the Middle East, in the context of the war triggered by the surprise offensive launched on February 28 by the forces of Israel and the United States against Iran.

The ship, which will arrive in the coming hours at the San Diego base in the state of California, received on Wednesday the visit of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, on the occasion of the 321 days of mission of the "USS Abraham Lincoln" -- an unprecedented record -- of which 264 days were spent without touching port.

During his speech before the thousands of military personnel on board, Hegseth emphasized that his presence aboard was in response to the objective of "personally conveying the gratitude" of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for the work of the troops, also in the context of the operation "Epic Fury" against Iran, "ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons."

"Subsequently, with the blockade (to Iranian ports), which has been impenetrable," highlighted the Secretary of Defense, before adding: "I am inspired by the mission that you executed so successfully. You have changed the course of history, ensuring that crazy, theocratic people never acquire nuclear weapons that change the course of history."

The aircraft carrier set sail in November and was deployed in January in the Persian Gulf, where it remained after the onset of the conflict with Iran. In recent months, concerns about the living conditions of the crew have multiplied, to the point that the Navy officially acknowledged eight suicide attempts among the personnel assigned to the ship.