A fire broke out aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford on March 12 while the carrier operated in the Red Sea. Officials said the blaze began in the ship’s main laundry spaces due to a non-combat-related cause and did not damage the propulsion plant, leaving the vessel fully operational. Two sailors were injured and are receiving treatment. The incident was reported shortly after the first public message by Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei. With tensions rising in the Iran-U.S. confrontation, the timing of the fire has sparked questions and speculation about whether the full details have been disclosed.