U.S. CENTCOM debunks Iranian claim of strike on USS Abraham Lincoln

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

 In a pointed and immediate rebuttal, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) labeled as a “lie” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) assertion that it had successfully struck the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles.

The IRGC, via Iranian state media outlets, had earlier claimed that four ballistic missiles impacted the carrier, which is deployed in the region and serving as a key platform for ongoing U.S. operations.

The statement warned that “the land and sea will increasingly become the graveyard of the terrorist aggressors,” framing the purported attack as part of escalating retaliatory actions following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, including the confirmed killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

CENTCOM‘s response on X was unequivocal and direct: “Iran’s IRGC claims to have struck USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles. LIE. The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close. The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime.”

The post included several accompanying images, likely showing recent flight operations from the carrier or related assets, underscoring its continued full operational status.

Multiple independent reports from outlets including The Times of Israel, Hindustan Times, CBS News, and The Wall Street Journal corroborated CENTCOM’s denial, noting that no evidence supports the IRGC’s claim and that the carrier remains actively launching sorties in support of Operation Epic Fury.

The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier, has been a cornerstone of U.S. naval presence in the Middle East, capable of sustaining high-tempo air operations with its embarked air wing of F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, and other aircraft.

The denial comes on the same day CENTCOM confirmed the first U.S. fatalities in the operation: three service members killed in action, with five others seriously wounded. No connection has been drawn between those ground or air-domain casualties and the alleged naval strike.