Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it carried out a missile and drone strike on the USS Abraham Lincoln, alleging that the attack damaged the vessel and forced it to withdraw from waters near the Sea of Oman. The United States has rejected the claim and stated that its naval forces instead responded to a threatening approach by an Iranian vessel.
According to reports carried by Iranian state media outlet Press TV, the IRGC Navy launched what it described as a “precision operation” using advanced missiles and drones against the carrier while it was operating about 340 kilometres from Iran’s maritime borders. Iranian officials said the strike rendered the vessel non-operational and forced the carrier strike group to retreat from the area at high speed.
Iranian authorities framed the alleged attack as part of their broader strategy to defend national sovereignty and deter foreign military pressure in the region. They did not provide further details regarding the extent of the reported damage or whether casualties occurred.
In a separate statement, the IRGC also claimed that it launched missile and drone strikes against a US naval installation at Mina Salman in Bahrain, where the United States Fifth Fleet is headquartered. Iranian officials said the strikes targeted anti-drone systems, equipment storage areas and fuel facilities, although these claims have not been independently verified.
US officials have denied that the USS Abraham Lincoln was hit. According to a report by CBS News, American officials said the encounter began when an Iranian vessel approached the aircraft carrier at close range earlier in the week. A US Navy ship attempted to fire warning shots using a Mark-45 five-inch naval gun, but the rounds missed.
The US military then deployed a helicopter armed with Hellfire missiles that struck the approaching vessel with two missiles. The condition of the Iranian craft and its crew remains unclear. The incident reportedly occurred while the carrier was operating in the Arabian Sea alongside escort vessels including the guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Michael Murphy.
The exchange of conflicting claims highlights the rising tension between Iran and the United States in waters around the Gulf and the Arabian Sea, where both sides have increased military activity. Neither government has released detailed operational information about the encounter, leaving uncertainty about the exact sequence of events.
