IRGC Says It Struck USS Abraham Lincoln With Four Ballistic Missiles Amid Escalation

Tensions in the Middle East surged dramatically as Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed they had struck the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles, marking what Tehran described as a new phase of open confrontation with the United States and Israel.

IRGC Claims Direct Hit on US Carrier

In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said four ballistic missiles hit the USS Abraham Lincoln during an operation it called "True Promise 4." The Guards framed the attack as retaliation for recent strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures.

The IRGC warned that American forces in the region would face intensified attacks, declaring that both land and sea could become "graveyards" for what it termed aggressors.

US Naval Build-Up Intensifies

Even before the reported strike, Washington had expanded its military footprint. President Donald Trump ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to deploy from Crete toward the Middle East, joining a large flotilla that included destroyers and frigates alongside the Abraham Lincoln.

US officials have warned that any attack on American assets would trigger an overwhelming response.

Israel Continues Military Campaign

Israel also pressed ahead with operations against Iranian targets. The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, including air bases and command centers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that operations would continue, describing the killing of Khamenei as a "first step" in dismantling what he called a long-standing regional threat.

Civilian Toll and Regional Fallout

Explosions were reported across several regional capitals, including Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi, with civilian casualties mounting. Iran's Red Crescent reported more than 200 deaths inside Iran following bombardments linked to the assassination of Khamenei.

Protests erupted in Iraq and Pakistan, where demonstrators targeted US diplomatic sites. In Karachi, hospital records cited by international media indicated multiple fatalities during clashes near the US consulate.

Western governments issued urgent advisories. The United Kingdom urged its citizens in Gulf states to shelter in place, while US missions in Jordan and Bahrain warned Americans to avoid sensitive locations.

Leadership Shift in Tehran

Amid the turmoil, Iran moved swiftly to manage its political transition. President Masoud Pezeshkian joined a newly formed interim leadership council that includes senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi while the process of selecting a new Supreme Leader begins.

From exile, opposition figure Reza Pahlavi declared that the Islamic Republic had effectively ended, though Iran's internal power structures remain intact for now.

A Rapidly Expanding Conflict

With Iran claiming a missile strike on a US aircraft carrier, Israel sustaining its offensive, and American naval forces reinforcing the region, the confrontation has moved beyond shadow conflict into open military escalation.

Rising casualties, expanding battle lines and hardened rhetoric from all sides suggest that the crisis is no longer confined to isolated strikes - it is reshaping the balance of power across the Gulf and threatening a broader regional war.