Carrier Strike Group 3 (USS Abraham Lincoln)

Force in Play

Supports Operation Epic Fury strikes; operational amid Iranian retaliation

The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been operational in the Arabian Sea since late January 2026, with the USS Gerald R. Ford joining in the Mediterranean, creating dual-carrier presence amid Iran's crackdown on protests that began in December 2025. On February 25, the U.S. deployed 12 F-22 Raptors to Israel's Ovda Airbase, the first such deployment, alongside KC-46 tankers at Ben Gurion in the largest Middle East buildup since 2003. On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched 'Operation Epic Fury,' striking Iranian nuclear sites, naval forces, and military infrastructure, reportedly killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated on March 1 with missile and drone barrages on 27 U.S. bases, Israeli headquarters in Tel Aviv, and Gulf sites in UAE, Qatar, and other nations, causing civilian casualties.

Updated Mar 2