The American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has returned to its home port of San Diego after 321 days of combat deployment. During this time, the ship led U.S. Navy participation in an operation called Epic Fury, while also enforcing a maritime blockade against vessels flying the Iranian flag. The carrier strike group's area of operations was the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman—strategically important waters through which significant volumes of maritime cargo pass, including oil shipments. The ship's return concludes one of the longest deployments of the American fleet in recent years, during which the crew carried out missions to maintain U.S. military presence in the region and keep the tense situation around Iran under control. Pentagon officials have not yet commented in detail on Operation Epic Fury or specific incidents involving Iranian vessels. The homecoming was a significant event for the carrier's crew and their families after nearly a year away from home.