Iran claims missile strike on USS Abraham Lincoln

Iran’s army claimed it struck the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with coastal cruise missiles, according to state media reports.

In a statement posted on X, Iran’s IRNA News Agency quoted the Army’s Public Relations unit as saying that cruise missiles launched from the shoreline had successfully hit the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The US has neither confirmed nor denied these claims. However, US Central Command stated that the carrier “continues flight operations against military targets in Iran while sailing in regional waters.”

Separately, Press TV, citing sources within Iran’s Army Navy, reported that the USS Abraham Lincoln was forced to alter its position after being targeted by shore-launched cruise missiles.

The report asserted that this action was intended to reinforce Iran’s “maritime sovereignty” and respond to perceived threats from what it called a hostile fleet.

Furthermore, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani reportedly cautioned that the carrier remains under constant observation and would be engaged by naval forces should it enter the range of Iran’s missile systems.

The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is the fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the US fleet. The vessel measures 1,092 feet (ft) in length, with a beam of 252ft and a draught of 41ft. Its displacement is approximately 97,000 tons. The flight deck spans about 4.5 acres and is 257ft wide.

This carrier can host up to 90 aircraft, including helicopters, and has capacity for as many as 5,680 personnel, comprising a crew of 3,200 and an airwing of 2,480.

These Iranian claims come shortly after the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) docked at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on Crete on 23 March 2026, for maintenance and repairs following its deployment in the Red Sea.

Additionally, US Naval Forces Central Command/US 5th Fleet reported that a fire broke out in the main laundry area of the ship on 12 March while it was participating in Operation Epic Fury in the Red Sea.