US carrier Gerald R. Ford, deployed in war with Iran, to go to port temporarily after fire

The U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, deployed in operations against Iran, is expected to temporarily pull into port after ​a fire on board, Reuters reported citing U.S. officials.

The carrier, America's newest and the world's largest, is currently located in the Red Sea. It is expected to temporarily go to Souda Bay on the Greek island ​of Crete, according to the report.

The warship has been deployed for nine ​months, including taking part in operations against Venezuela in the Caribbean ⁠prior to arriving in the Middle East.

The ​officials, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, did not say how long the Ford was expected to remain in Crete.

One of the officials said nearly 200 sailors were treated for smoke-related ​injuries when the fire broke out in the ship's main laundry area. The fire ​took hours to bring under control and had an impact on roughly 100 sleeping berths.

After the fire initially broke out, the U.S. ​military had said that ​there was no ⁠damage to the ship's propulsion plant and the aircraft carrier was fully operational.

The Ford, ⁠with more than 5,000 sailors aboard, has more than 75 military aircraft, including fighter aircraft like the F-18 Super Hornets.