U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that American forces had sunk nine Iranian naval vessels during ongoing combat operations, marking a significant escalation in tensions between the two countries.
In a post shared on X, Trump stated that he had been informed of the destruction of the ships, describing some of them as “relatively large and important.” He also claimed that Iran’s naval headquarters had been largely destroyed in a separate strike. Emphasizing continued military action, Trump added that additional Iranian vessels were being targeted and would soon meet the same fate.
Earlier in the day, officials from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette had been struck at the outset of what they referred to as Operation Epic Fury. According to their statement, the vessel was heavily damaged and in the process of sinking near a pier in Chabahar, located along the Gulf of Oman. The statement also included a message urging Iranian military personnel, including members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), to lay down their arms and abandon their positions.
CENTCOM also confirmed that the conflict has resulted in American casualties. Three U.S. service members were reported killed in action, while five others sustained serious injuries during the operations.
In a separate update, CENTCOM revealed that U.S. B-2 stealth bombers had carried out strikes on hardened Iranian ballistic missile facilities on Saturday night. The bombers reportedly used 2,000-pound bombs in an effort to neutralize key elements of Iran’s missile capabilities.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials rejected claims made by the IRGC that Iranian forces had successfully struck the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles. In a post on X, CENTCOM dismissed the claim as false, asserting that the missiles did not come close to the carrier. Officials added that the USS Abraham Lincoln continues to operate normally, launching aircraft in support of ongoing missions in the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is part of one of two U.S. carrier strike groups currently deployed to the Middle East, alongside the USS Gerald R. Ford. This deployment represents one of the most substantial concentrations of U.S. naval power in the region in recent years.
According to CENTCOM, the broader military campaign began early Saturday morning with the objective of targeting elements of Iran’s security infrastructure considered to pose imminent threats. Key targets reportedly included IRGC command centers, air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
Reports also indicated that a compound associated with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was struck during the operation. Some sources, including a senior Israeli official cited by Reuters, suggested that Khamenei may have been killed, a claim later echoed by Trump. However, such reports remain highly sensitive and would require independent verification.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 201 people have been killed and more than 700 others injured across Iran as a result of the strikes.
