Tehran, 01 March (H.S.): Amid surging Middle East tensions, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Sunday to have fired four ballistic missiles at the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. The IRGC stated the attack avenged the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warning that land and sea will become a graveyard for aggressors. The United States has not officially confirmed the claim.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, deployed near Iran since January alongside three guided-missile destroyers, remains a key asset in the region. Separately, the US Navy's Fifth Fleet announced it sank an Iranian warship, echoing President Donald Trump's call for Iranian forces and police to lay down arms.

Reports of Top Military Losses

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported the death of Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdul Rahim Mousavi in recent strikes. News agencies cited fatalities among senior IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, deepening regional strife.

Vow of Retaliation

The IRGC pledged to punish those behind Khamenei's killing, launching a fierce campaign against the US and Israel. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed airstrikes on two Tehran sites housing high-ranking security officials.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar