Iran's IRGC claims 'precision' strike on nuclear-capable aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, US military denies attack

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Thursday claimed that it has struck US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with missiles and drones, adding that the vessel had been damaged and was retreating from regional waters.

According to Iranian state media outlet Press TV, the IRGC Navy launched a "precision operation" on the vessel while it was operating near the Sea of Oman, a claim that has been refused by the US military.

Iranian officials told the media that the attack was done with advanced missiles and drones and struck the vessel about 340 kilometers from Iran’s maritime borders.

Authorities said that the operation was a part of Iran's resolve to defend its sovereignty and deter foreign military pressure in the region. They did not reveal the extent of the alleged damage or whether any casualties were caused.

The US military, however, denied any such attack and shared photos of the vessel in action.

"The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group continues to support Operation Epic Fury and project power from the sea," US Central Command said in a post on X.

Two US officials told CBS News that a US Navy ship attempted to fire on the approaching vessel using a Mark-45 five-inch naval gun, though the shots missed. They added that a helicopter armed with Hellfire missiles was launched and struck the Iranian vessel with two missiles.

However, the status of the Iranian craft and its crew remains unclear. Several other US destroyers were also reported to be operating in the region.

USS Abraham Lincoln is a nuclear-powered Nimitz-class vessel that is a part of a US carrier strike group. It was deployed in West Asia to support American military operations across the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.

This comes only hours after a US Air Force refueling aircraft carrying at least five crew members was shot down by Iran-backed Islamic Resistance group in Iraq.