Iranian vessel struck after approaching USS Abraham Lincoln

A vessel linked to Iran sailed too close to the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln earlier this week, prompting US forces to open fire, according to two US officials briefed on the incident who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

The officials said a US Navy ship initially attempted to engage the Iranian vessel using a 5-inch, 54-calibre Mark-45 naval gun, a fully automated cannon mounted on the forward deck of US destroyers and cruisers that has served as the fleet’s standard deck gun since the early 1970s.

It remains unclear which US warship fired at the vessel. However, the officials said the rounds missed the target multiple times, and it is not known whether the shots were intended as warning fire.

Following the failed attempt, a helicopter armed with Hellfire missiles was launched and struck the Iranian vessel with two missiles, according to the officials.

The condition of the vessel and the fate of its crew remain unknown.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is currently operating in the Arabian Sea in support of US military operations against Iran.

Two destroyers — USS Spruance and USS Michael Murphy — are deployed with the carrier strike group. In addition, six other guided-missile destroyers were reported to be operating in the Arabian Sea as of last week.

Officials did not specify which type of helicopter carried out the strike. However, both MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters are capable of carrying Hellfire missiles. The MH-60R Seahawk is commonly used in multi-mission roles, including anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare.

CBS News said it contacted the United States Central Command, which oversees US military operations against Iran in the region. A defence official responded: “We have nothing for you on this.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln is one of two US aircraft carriers deployed to the Middle East. Its carrier strike group arrived in the region in late January, part of what Donald Trump described as an “armada.”

Tensions between the two countries had already escalated earlier in the year. In early February, a Shahed-139 drone approached the carrier in what a US Central Command spokesperson described as “aggressive” and “unnecessary manoeuvring.” The drone was subsequently shot down by a US fighter jet, in an incident that occurred weeks before the war between the United States and Iran began.

Since the start of the conflict, US forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90 Iranian vessels, according to the United States Central Command.

By Tamilla Hasanova