Iran strikes USS Abraham Lincoln again in four days, carrier forced to withdraw after sweeping attack

An unimaginable blow to the prestige of the United States.
Iran struck the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln for the second time within four days.
The surprise of the United States is evident.
The ship suffered damage and is being withdrawn from the wider area.
This is a development that has not occurred in the last 80 years in the United States Navy.
According to an announcement by the headquarters of the Armed Forces of Iran (Khatam al-Anbiya), the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which had approached a distance of approximately 340 kilometers from the maritime borders of Iran in the Sea of Oman with the aim of controlling the Straits of Hormuz, was attacked by naval unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) of the Navy of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran reported that the aircraft carrier was forced to move away rapidly accompanied by its cruisers, and it is now at a distance of 1,000 kilometers from the area.
This move shows the intensity of the military presence and the weaknesses of the American military display in the region.

NEW: Iran claims its IRGC Navy drones struck the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln near the Gulf of Oman as it approached the Strait of Hormuz.

The carrier group reportedly withdrew and moved over 1,000 km away.

Iran provided no evidence for its claim. pic.twitter.com/4qO85BYsmu

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 5, 2026

The first strike with 4 ballistic missiles

On Sunday (1/3/2026), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had announced that the Abraham Lincoln had been hit by four ballistic missiles as part of Operation True Promise 4, noting that the power of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic is entering a new phase.
As emphasized in the announcement, the powerful attacks of Iran against the “terrorist attackers” will continue both at sea and on land, placing the American forces and their allied objectives in the region in obvious danger.
This development underlines the strategic capability of Iran to threaten American warships even far from its national borders, sending a clear message that the presence of the United States in the Middle East is neither uninterrupted nor without cost.
The simultaneous use of drones and ballistic missiles confirms a comprehensive strategy of defense and counterattack that combines high precision tactics and intimidating power, strengthening the position of Iran against the American military superpower.
“The American aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was hit by four ballistic missiles,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on 1/3 in a statement broadcast by local media, warning that “the land and the sea will increasingly become the cemetery of the terrorist attackers.”
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the Arabian Sea since the end of January.

“We will sink it”

Despite the significance of the dual actions, Forbes analyst Peter Suchiu emphasizes that it is almost impossible to sink an American aircraft carrier with the existing means.
Modern design specifications of aircraft carriers ensure the maintenance of buoyancy even after serious damage, making their total destruction through conventional missile attacks difficult.
However, this does not reduce the intensity and the danger of the situation.
Ballistic missiles can cause significant damage to the upper and critical systems of the ship, such as aircraft, landing decks and communication systems, temporarily reducing the operational capability of the aircraft carrier and creating serious pressure on the American command.
In the previous period and before the attacks of 28 February 2026, officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had warned the United States that Iran would become the first country in the world to sink an aircraft carrier.

Target and purpose of the attacks

The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani, earlier addressed an appeal to neighboring countries due to the escalation of the conflict, emphasizing that the attacks of Iran are directed exclusively against American bases in the region.
This action comes as part of an overall strategic reaction of Tehran to the American-Israeli military operations, aiming to underline the ability of Iran to strike strategic targets even in maritime areas of long range.
The selection of the USS Abraham Lincoln as a target has particular significance, as aircraft carriers constitute the main lever of power projection of the United States in the region.
The attack, regardless of the result, has clear political and strategic significance, sending a message of determination to Washington and its allies.

Geopolitical dimension of the crushing strike

The attack of the IRGC acquires particular significance in the broader geopolitical framework of the Middle East:

1) Sending a strategic message: Tehran demonstrates its ability to strike high value American targets even in international waters, sending a deterrence message.

2) Strengthening internal legitimacy: These actions are presented to the domestic audience as proof of the determination of the IRGC to protect national security.

3) Pressure on neighboring countries: The appeal of Ali Larijani to the states of the region underlines the pursuit of Tehran to limit the involvement of third parties in the escalation and to isolate the military operations to targets of the United States.

Significant strategic consequences for the United States, strong blow to American prestige

Although the probability of sinking the USS Abraham Lincoln is low, the attack has significant strategic consequences.
Temporary damage to aircraft, guidance systems and communications limits the ability of the ship to conduct full operations.
Washington is forced to reconsider the deployment of forces in the region, increasing the protection of aircraft carriers and bases.
The attack creates pressure on the political leaders of the United States and their allies, highlighting the vulnerability even of the most advanced military systems.

Significant escalation

The attack of the IRGC on the USS Abraham Lincoln constitutes a significant escalation in the regional conflict and shows the determination of Iran to defend its interests against the United States and Israel.
Despite the technical difficulties in the complete destruction of an American aircraft carrier, the strategic importance of the action is indisputable: it underlines the ability of Iran to strike high value targets, to influence the operational power of the United States and to send a strong deterrence message in the region of the Middle East.
This crisis highlights that, even in an era of ultra modern technology, strategic influence is not based only on the capability of complete destruction, but also on the ability to cause serious pressure, uncertainty and strategic readjustment to the opponent.

The problematic image of American aircraft carriers

In the previous weeks a particularly negative image was presented for American aircraft carriers.
The USS Ford, although it was supposed to arrive in the Mediterranean on 24-25 February, its arrival was delayed due to technical problems, specifically because of its toilets.
The flushing system was not functioning, and as experts point out, it was not easy to serve approximately 4,500 crew members with 650 toilets that were malfunctioning.
This led the Gerald R. Ford to visit the base of Souda in Crete on 23 February for repair, maintenance and resupply, departing three days later on 26 February.
Senator Mark Kelly, a former pilot, warned that the continuous stay of an aircraft carrier at sea for more than six months causes wear and increases the probability of accidents, not only with aircraft but also within the crew itself, as exhaustion and minor accidents become more frequent.
Admiral Mike Franken points out that the delay of scheduled repairs can lead to a dramatic increase in costs and to significant operational problems in the event of conflict.
Previous incidents, such as the accidents of the USS Harry S. Truman in the Middle East in 2024-2025, prove that the excessive exploitation of American warships can have serious consequences, even during periods when there is no active involvement in war.
The continuous presence of the USS Gerald R. Ford in multiple operational zones, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Middle East, increases the risk of human and technical errors, a fact that worsens the overall image of American military preparedness.

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