US Central Command has denied Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claim that the USS Abraham Lincoln was struck by ballistic missiles. According to CENTCOM, the missiles “didn’t even come close,” and the aircraft carrier continues launching operations in support of US missions in the region. The denial comes amid soaring tensions following US–Israel strikes on Iran and Tehran’s vow of retaliation. With conflicting narratives emerging, questions remain over escalation risks and the possibility of wider regional confrontation.