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The US admiral overseeing military operations involving Iran visited the USS Abraham Lincoln on Saturday as the aircraft carrier prepared to return home after a demanding nine-month deployment, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper boarded the carrier following a 10-day regional tour that included Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The visit came as the USS Abraham Lincoln concluded one of the most intensive deployments of the modern era.
The aircraft carrier played a major role in US military operations against Iran and in President Donald Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports. According to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, the vessel spent more than 200 days in a combat zone and launched over 10,000 sorties during its deployment.
Cooper described the mission as one of the most operationally demanding and consequential deployments in recent US naval history. However, the extended deployment has also raised concerns about conditions aboard the carrier.
Reports have emerged of supply shortages, plumbing issues, deteriorating living conditions and mental-health struggles among crew members, many of whom reportedly went months without a port call. Senate Democrats have asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to address the concerns, warning that prolonged operational pressure could affect the safety and well-being of the crew.
A US official also confirmed that a person went overboard in early August but was quickly rescued. Hegseth rejected claims that conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln had become dangerously poor, saying reports had misrepresented the situation.
Cao said only a limited number of mental-health cases had been recorded and that no lives were lost. Although meal plans were adjusted when resupply was delayed, he said crew members did not miss meals.
The US plans to maintain its blockade of Iranian ports for as long as necessary, rotating naval forces through the region. Trump has indicated that another aircraft carrier will replace the USS Abraham Lincoln. Meanwhile, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain high following another attack involving a vessel linked to the Emirati energy company ADNOC.
