A sailor on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was injured during flight operations in the Arabian Sea on 25/3. "This incident was not combat-related and posed no threat to the service member's life," Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), the US Navy's operational authority in the Middle East, announced today.
NAVCENT reported that the sailor was transferred ashore for continued treatment and is in stable condition. Investigations into the incident's cause are ongoing.
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An MH-60S helicopter lands on the USS Abraham Lincoln on 23/3. Photo: US Navy
The US Navy affirmed that the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group would continue its airstrike missions as part of Operation "Terrible Fury" targeting Iran. This marks the apparent first reported casualty on the USS Abraham Lincoln since the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
The US currently maintains only the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group for operations against Iran. This follows the USS Gerald R. Ford's return to port in Greece for repairs after a fire on 12/3.
Meanwhile, regional tensions persist. On 25/3, the Iranian Navy released a video showing a Ghadir cruise missile launch towards the USS Abraham Lincoln. Iran claimed the strike forced the US warship group to alter its position.
Iran launches a cruise missile towards the USS Abraham Lincoln in a video released on 25/3. Video: Fars News
Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, commander of the Iranian Navy, stated that Tehran is closely monitoring the USS Abraham Lincoln's operations. He warned that the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group "will face a fierce attack if it enters the range of Iranian missiles".
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) previously stated it deployed suicide boats to attack the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Oman Sea, while it was operating about 340 km from the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials claimed the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group "retreated approximately 1,000 km" after the assault.
On 24/3, President Donald Trump stated that Iran had launched 101 "very sophisticated, very high-speed" missiles at a US aircraft carrier. He affirmed that all these munitions were intercepted, though he did not name the specific warship.
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Location of the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea. Graphic: Guardian
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier deploys a variety of aircraft, including: F-35C stealth fighters, F/A-18E/F fighter jets, EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft, E-2D early warning aircraft, CMV-22B tiltrotor aircraft, and anti-submarine helicopters.
The IRGC has repeatedly launched attacks against the USS Abraham Lincoln using missiles, drones, and suicide boats. However, the US Navy maintains these efforts have not impacted the warship's operations.
Thanh Danh (According to Navy Times, Reuters)
