Iran’s Revolutionary Guard targets US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles | World News
2 min readUpdated: Mar 1, 2026 08:55 PM IST
Ratcheting up tensions in the Middle East after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni in US and Israeli strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp said it had targeted US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles on Sunday, according to state media reports.
The USS Lincoln is one of two aircraft carriers deployed to the region in recent weeks as Washington sought to shore up pressure on Tehran amid nuclear deal talks. It is the only one relatively close to Iranian shores.
What is USS Abraham Lincoln
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is America’s fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and named in honour of the country’s 16th president. The second ship in the US Navy to bear Lincoln’s name, it is homeported in San Diego, California.
What are Nimitz-class aircraft carriers
Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are known as the largest warships in the world. They “support and operate aircraft that engage in attacks on airborne, afloat, and ashore targets that threaten free use of the sea and engage in sustained power projection operations in support of US and coalition forces,” according to the US Navy.
USS Lincoln, along with its strike group, also engages in maritime security operations to tackle threats to merchant shipping and prevent the use of seas for terrorism and piracy. Another important role of aircraft carriers comes to fore when they are pressed into disaster response and humanitarian assistance roles.