New Delhi:
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Sunday that it launched ballistic missiles at the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf, escalating tensions following U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the IRGC asserted that four ballistic missiles struck the carrier, warning that “the land and sea will increasingly become the graveyard of the terrorist aggressors.” The claim came amid a broader wave of Iranian retaliation across the region.
However, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) swiftly rejected the allegation, calling it false.
“The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close,” CENTCOM said in a post on X. The command added that the carrier “continues to launch aircraft” in support of ongoing U.S. operations targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
US Says Iranian Warship Sunk
In a separate statement, CENTCOM confirmed that U.S. forces struck an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette at a pier in Chabahar during the early phase of Operation Epic Fury.
“The ship is currently sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman,” CENTCOM said, adding that the strike was intended to degrade Iran’s naval capabilities and limit threats to regional shipping lanes. The statement reiterated U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Iranian armed forces and IRGC personnel to “lay down your weapons.”
Iran Broadens Claims
Iranian officials also claimed additional strikes on U.S.-linked targets across the Gulf. The Iranian consulate in Hyderabad said in a social media post that four drones struck a merchant vessel allegedly carrying ammunition for American warships at the Jebel Ali anchorage in the United Arab Emirates, leaving it disabled.
Tehran further alleged that ballistic missiles and drones struck a U.S. naval facility in Kuwait, causing heavy damage and casualties. There has been no independent confirmation of these claims from U.S. or Kuwaiti authorities.
Ballistic Missiles and Shipping Threats
Defense analysts note that anti-ship ballistic missiles represent a growing threat in modern naval warfare. Such weapons drew global attention in 2023 when Yemen’s Houthi forces used them against vessels in the Red Sea.
On Sunday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two separate incidents involving ships in the Strait of Hormuz. One vessel was struck off the coast of Oman, while another was hit near the UAE, according to the agency. The ships were not identified.
The competing narratives underscore the intense information warfare unfolding alongside military operations, with both Washington and Tehran issuing sharply conflicting accounts of battlefield developments. As strikes and counterstrikes continue, concerns are mounting over the safety of commercial shipping and the risk of further escalation in the strategically vital Gulf region.
