In a major humiliation for the United States Navy, Iran claims it has successfully struck the USS Abraham Lincoln supercarrier with a barrage of anti-ship missiles, forcing the powerful warship to flee the Arabian Sea and retreat from the combat zone.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released video and satellite imagery showing what they say are direct hits on the Nimitz-class carrier’s flight deck and superstructure. Thick smoke was reportedly seen rising from the vessel as it abruptly changed course and moved away from Iranian waters at high speed, escorted by its remaining destroyers.

IRGC commanders celebrated the attack, declaring: “The second American aircraft carrier has been hit and driven out of the region. The Lincoln is fleeing just like the burning Ford. This is the beginning of the end of American naval arrogance in our waters.”

The Pentagon has denied serious damage, calling the Iranian claims “propaganda,” but independent ship tracking data confirms the Abraham Lincoln strike group has significantly altered its position and reduced air operations. The carrier was rushed into the theater to replace the heavily damaged USS Gerald R. Ford, which continues to suffer recurring fires and severely limited flight capability.

This latest blow comes as Operation Epic Fury faces mounting disaster. The U.S. has already burned through more than $11 billion in munitions in the first week alone, with critical radar systems destroyed across the region and interceptor stockpiles running dangerously low. Israel remains under relentless Iranian and Hezbollah missile attacks, while Iranian forces continue to dominate the Strait of Hormuz, trapping dozens of tankers and attacking commercial shipping.

With both of America’s premier aircraft carriers now either crippled or retreating from the battlefield, U.S. naval dominance in the Gulf — once considered unchallenged — is visibly collapsing.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s regime has proven far more capable and determined than Washington anticipated. What was meant to be a swift, overwhelming American victory has turned into a costly nightmare of attrition.

Is this the moment the United States loses control of the Persian Gulf? As the Abraham Lincoln sails away from the fight, the world is witnessing a stunning shift in power that could reshape the Middle East for decades.

Operation Epic Fury is not only failing — it is backfiring spectacularly.