Deadly Clash Among US Troops on Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln
A deadly clash among American troops has occurred on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. Seven US soldiers were killed and several other personnel were injured.
USS Abraham Lincoln is one of the advanced US aircraft carriers deployed during the war against Iran.
The incident is seen as reflecting growing unrest among the ship’s crew and mounting pressure within the US military due to prolonged deployment.
Reports of the fierce clash on the US aircraft carrier, as reported by Press TV, were delivered by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, citing reliable military sources.
The incident reportedly began when an adviser to US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper boarded the USS Abraham Lincoln to address growing complaints from the carrier’s crew.
These complaints arose following protests by family members of US troops regarding the length of the carrier’s deployment.
The adviser was met with jeers and water bottles thrown while speaking before the assembled US Navy personnel.
The confrontation then escalated into a physical fight among the crew of the US aircraft carrier. A number of knives and other sharp weapons were used in the brawl.
As a result, according to the source cited by Tasnim, at least seven US military personnel were killed and several others were injured. The atmosphere aboard the US carrier was reported to remain tense and uncertain.
To date, there has been no direct response from the US military or the White House to the Iranian media report.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed for 263 days. The US aircraft carrier is currently operating in the Indian Ocean, with its primary mission being to enforce the naval blockade imposed by Washington on Iranian ports.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea for 208 consecutive days, the longest uninterrupted deployment for a US aircraft carrier in the modern era. The carrier only made a brief stop in Oman last July.
Reports of the deadly clash emerged amid growing concerns over the living and working conditions faced by approximately 5,000 US sailors and Marines aboard the carrier.
Family members of US troops have voiced concerns about fatigue, mental health, and the impact of prolonged deployment on the ability to carry out duties safely.
Last week, at a meeting in San Diego, around 200 relatives of US military personnel confronted Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao about conditions aboard the carrier and the lack of a definite return date for the crew.