Iran claims USS Abraham Lincoln struck by drones in Sea of Oman

March 5, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that its naval drone units struck the US Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in the Sea of Oman, prompting the carrier and its escort ships to retreat more than 1,000 kilometers from the area.

US Navy photo of USS Abraham Lincoln in the Atlantic Ocean on January 30, 2019.

In a statement carried by Tehran Times, a spokesperson for the Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Headquarters said the carrier had entered waters roughly 340 kilometers from Iran’s territorial boundary while operating near the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.

“The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had approached within 340 kilometers of Iran’s territorial waters in the Sea of Oman with the apparent aim of controlling the Strait of Hormuz, was hit by IRGC naval drones,” the statement said.

The spokesman added that the carrier, accompanied by its destroyer escorts, withdrew from the vicinity at high speed following the alleged engagement.

“It has now retreated more than 1,000 kilometers from the region,” the statement reported.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, has been a focal point of tension between Iran and Western military forces.

The claim represents the latest public assertion by Iranian security officials regarding direct action against U.S. military assets. As of this writing, there has been no independent verification of the report, and no statements from U.S. military authorities confirming that the Abraham Lincoln was struck.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has been operating in the broader Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea amid heightened regional tensions.

The new Iranian claim comes days after U.S. forces struck the Iranian drone carrier Shahid Bagheri during operations linked to Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has rejected Iranian claims that the USS Abraham Lincoln had been hit by any missiles or drones during the earlier confrontation, describing such reports as false. The carrier remained fully operational and continued flight operations as part of its routine missions in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.