USS Abraham Lincoln CSG transits Surigao Strait, returns to 7th Fleet after Middle East deployment

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, including CVN-72, DDG-121, and CG-62, transited the Surigao Strait into the Philippine Sea on Tuesday, returning to routine 7th Fleet operations after an eight-month Middle East deployment. This marks a force posture shift as the carrier group heads home to San Diego, reducing U.S. carrier presence in the Middle East while maintaining a forward presence in the Western Pacific. The transit through a key chokepoint underscores continued freedom-of-navigation operations in the region.