Source NDTV world
GULF REGION — The U.S. military has issued a sharp rebuttal to claims from Tehran that its forces successfully “struck” the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during a massive wave of retaliatory strikes on Sunday.
While Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) insists the vessel was hit by four ballistic missiles, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) characterized the reports as a “lie,” stating that the incoming projectiles failed to even come close to their target.
Conflicting Accounts in the Gulf
The escalation began early Sunday morning when the IRGC released a statement claiming a strategic victory against the American naval presence. According to Iranian state media, the strike was part of a “new phase” of operations following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation just one day prior.
“The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was struck by four ballistic missiles,” the IRGC statement read, adding a grim warning that the region would become a “graveyard for terrorist aggressors.”
However, U.S. officials were quick to dismiss the narrative. In a blunt post on social media, CENTCOM clarified that the carrier remains fully operational.
U.S. Position: “The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close.”
Operational Status: The carrier continues to launch aircraft in support of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing U.S. military campaign in the region.
A Region on the Brink
The dispute over the Abraham Lincoln comes amidst the heaviest fighting in the Middle East in decades. Following the elimination of Iran’s top leadership, Tehran has launched a multi-pronged retaliation involving drones and missiles targeting:
U.S. Military Bases across the Gulf and Iraq.
Israeli Cities, including a deadly strike in Beit Shemesh.
Regional Hubs, with reports of explosions in Dubai and Riyadh.
While the U.S. denied the hit on the carrier, the Pentagon did confirm its first combat fatalities of this specific escalation, reporting that three U.S. service members were killed in separate operations on Sunday.
The Role of the Lincoln
The USS Abraham Lincoln was redirected from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East in late January as part of a massive U.S. buildup. It currently serves as the centerpiece of American power projection in the Arabian Sea, providing the “persistent sortie generation” necessary for the sustained air strikes currently hitting targets inside Iran.
