In a major embarrᴀssment for the United States Navy, the USS Abraham Lincoln supercarrier has reportedly withdrawn more than 1,000 kilometers from the Persian Gulf, according to Iranian military sources and independent tracking data.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) celebrated the development, claiming their repeated missile and drone attacks forced the powerful Nimitz-class carrier to retreat from the combat zone. “The second American aircraft carrier has been driven out of our waters,” an IRGC spokesman declared. “This is a clear victory for the Axis of Resistance.”

While the Pentagon insists the Lincoln is simply “repositioning for operational reasons” and remains combat capable, shipping trackers show the carrier strike group has moved significantly eastward toward safer waters near the Arabian Sea. The move comes after weeks of Iranian claims of direct hits on the vessel, including the use of advanced cruise missiles.

This development is particularly damaging because the Abraham Lincoln was rushed into the theater to replace the already crippled USS Gerald R. Ford, which continues to suffer recurring fires and severely limited flight operations. With both of America’s most powerful supercarriers now either damaged or forced to pull back, U.S. naval dominance in the Gulf is facing its greatest challenge in decades.

Operation Epic Fury has already cost the United States more than $11 billion in munitions in just two weeks. Critical radar systems across the region have been destroyed, interceptor stockpiles are running dangerously low, and Israel continues to endure relentless Iranian missile barrages.

As the Abraham Lincoln sails away from the front line, many analysts are asking whether this marks the beginning of a broader U.S. withdrawal or simply a tactical repositioning. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s regime is using the moment to project strength, claiming Iran has successfully pushed back the world’s most powerful navy.

The war that was supposed to deliver swift American victory is now raising serious questions about U.S. staying power in the region.