CENTCOM quashes Iranian claims of missile strikes on Lincoln

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

U.S. Central Command is calling claims by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard that it struck the USS Abraham Lincoln a “lie.”

The IRGC said that it had targeted the Lincoln, one of the two U.S. aircraft carriers in the region, with four ballistic missiles.

In response, CENTCOM quickly denied the claims by the Islamic Republic.

“The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close. The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support to CENTOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime,” according to an X post from CENTCOM.

The claim by the IRGC comes on the heels of an earlier announcement from CENTCOM that three U.S. service members have been killed in action in Iranian strikes as part of Operation Epic Fury.

In addition to the three killed, five have been seriously wounded. CENTCOM added that several other service members “sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions,” and are not in the process of returning to duty.

Those killed mark the first casualties of Operation Epic Fury, which began Saturday in the early morning hours.

In retaliation for the coordinated joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against the Islamic regime, Iran has been carrying out strikes against Gulf nations housing U.S. bases and troops, including the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain.

On Saturday, CENTCOM downplayed the damage sustained to bases in the region, describing it as “minimal.”

President Donald Trump warned the U.S. “may have casualties” when he addressed the nation and world shortly after the strikes began.

Overnight, the president issued a stern warning to the IRGC against further escalation in the region.

“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” Trump posted to his Truth Social account.

The president, who has been overseeing the operations from his Palm Beach home, is scheduled to return to Washington D.C. Sunday.