Iran’s military, through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed it had attacked the United States aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf on Sunday. The alleged strike came after US and Israeli operations reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader on Saturday local time.

In a statement cited by AFP on Monday (2/3/2026), the IRGC asserted that the carrier was struck by four ballistic missiles. The group added that both land and sea would increasingly become graves for what it described as terrorist aggressors.

The Pentagon, however, rejected Iran’s claim. It stated that the USS Abraham Lincoln was not hit and that the missiles launched did not even come close to their target. This was conveyed by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) via X.

Separately, reports indicated that three US service members had been killed and five others seriously wounded in the conflict with Iran, though no specific details were provided regarding the circumstances or location of the casualties.

In an official statement, CENTCOM confirmed that three US troops died and five sustained critical injuries as part of Operation Epic Fury. Several others suffered minor wounds from shrapnel and concussions and are in the process of returning to duty. The command emphasized that major combat operations are ongoing and response efforts continue. Given the evolving situation, additional information—including the identities of the fallen soldiers—will be withheld for 24 hours until next of kin have been notified.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump declared that operations in the Middle East had been successful. He claimed that nine Iranian naval vessels had been sunk and made no mention of American fatalities.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that 48 Iranian leaders were killed “in one shot.” Speaking to The Atlantic, he expressed readiness to begin negotiations but said he could not specify when.

In another interview with CNBC International, Trump described the situation as developing very positively. On his Truth Social account, he reiterated that nine Iranian naval ships—including several large and significant ones—had been destroyed and sunk, and that much of the country’s naval headquarters had been devastated.

Reckless War

The US Congress also responded to Trump’s actions. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was heartbroken over the loss of life.

He stressed that no more American heroes should die due to what he described as a reckless decision to go to war, and urged Congress to act this week to restrain the president.