Iran said on Wednesday that it launched cruise missiles at the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, hours after its military dismissed any suggestion that a deal had been reached with the United States to end the war. The semiofficial Fars News Agency, known for its close links to the IRGC, claimed the missile strike had "forc[ed] the American naval fleet to change position."
There was no immediate response from US Central Command (CENTCOM), which has previously used social media to push back against Iranian claims of hitting the USS Abraham Lincoln and other American assets. The carrier has been operating in the Arabian Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury.
Iran Hit US Pride
Speaking at the Oval Office on Tuesday, President Trump told reporters that Iran had "shot 100 missiles at one of our aircraft carriers, one of the biggest ships in the world, actually." "Out of 101 missiles, every single one of them was knocked down."
The missile launches came shortly after a senior Iranian military spokesperson declared that Tehran would "never come to terms" with Washington, following the US sending a 15-point peace proposal through Pakistani intermediaries.
"Someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you. Not now, not ever," Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari said in a video released by Fars.
"The strategic power you used to talk about has turned into a strategic failure," he added. "The one claiming to be a global superpower would have already gotten out of this mess if it could. Don't dress up your defeat as an agreement. Your era of empty promises has come to an end."
The United States has laid out 15 demands for Iran, including dismantling its nuclear facilities and capabilities, abandoning any pursuit of atomic weapons, handing over all enriched uranium to international authorities, limiting its missile program strictly to defensive purposes, keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, and cutting off funding to terrorist proxy groups, according to The Wall Street Journal.
No Signs of Peace
In response, Iran has put forward its own set of conditions — such as lifting all sanctions and shutting down US bases in the Persian Gulf — which a US official reportedly dismissed as "ridiculous and unrealistic."
So far, there's little indication that these peace efforts have made any real impact, with military activity continuing at the same pace.
The Israeli military announced on Wednesday afternoon that it had carried out "several waves of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in Tehran," adding that more details would be released later.
A day earlier, the Israel Defense Forces said it had struck military production facilities in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, including sites linked to submarine construction and naval support systems.
In a separate statement, Israel's defense ministry said the country has launched more than 15,000 strikes against Iran since combat operations began on February 28 — over four times the number carried out during the 12-day war with the Islamic Republic last June.
