Seven US Navy sailors were reportedly killed and several others injured following a violent confrontation aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, an American aircraft carrier that has been deployed in the region amid the ongoing military confrontation involving Iran.
The claim was reported by Iranian state-linked outlet Tasnim News, which cited an unnamed military source. However, the report has not been independently verified, and no confirmation from the US Navy or Pentagon has been cited.
According to the report, tensions among the carrier’s crew had been building after the vessel remained deployed for an extended period. The prolonged mission also reportedly sparked concern among sailors’ families, some of whom had protested against the lengthy deployment.
The situation allegedly escalated when an adviser to US Central Command chief Brad Cooper visited the carrier to address complaints and growing dissatisfaction among the crew.
Tasnim claimed that the adviser was booed while speaking to a gathering of sailors and that some crew members threw water bottles at him. The confrontation then reportedly turned violent, with sailors allegedly using knives and other sharp objects during a fight.
The Iranian report said seven sailors were killed and several others injured in the incident. It also claimed that tensions remained high aboard the carrier following the confrontation.
Long deployment raises questions
Tasnim reported that the USS Abraham Lincoln had been deployed for 263 consecutive days and was operating in the Indian Ocean. The report claimed that one of its primary missions was supporting a US naval blockade against Iran.
It further claimed that the carrier had spent 208 consecutive days at sea, describing this as the longest uninterrupted deployment of a US aircraft carrier in the modern era. The vessel reportedly made a brief stop in Oman in July.
The reported incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region and growing pressure on US forces involved in operations linked to Iran.
For now, however, the reported deaths and details of the alleged confrontation remain unverified. Independent confirmation from US military authorities or other reliable sources would be necessary before the claims can be treated as established facts.
