USS Abraham Lincoln: Tension between Iran and the United States has gone up again after the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. Recent reporting confirms that the Dena was sunk near Sri Lanka earlier this month during the wider US-Iran conflict, causing heavy Iranian casualties. Reuters both reported that the ship went down on March 4, 2026, after a US submarine attack, and that at least 87 Iranian sailors were killed.
Now Iran is making a fresh threat against a major US naval force. According to reporting carried by Indian media from Iran’s state-linked coverage, Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani warned that the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group would be hit if it came within range.
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What happened to IRIS Dena
The IRIS Dena was returning home after taking part in naval events linked to India when it was attacked in waters south of Sri Lanka. Reuters reported that the warship had been part of the Milan 2026 naval exercise and was heading back when it was struck by a torpedo from a US submarine. The attack happened far from the Persian Gulf, which made the incident even more shocking because it showed the conflict spreading into the Indian Ocean.
Iran later said the death toll had risen. Reuters reported on March 8 that Iran’s army put the number of dead at at least 104. Earlier reports had said 87 sailors were killed, with more missing. That made the sinking one of the deadliest naval losses for Iran in this war.
The Dena was not a small ship. It was one of Iran’s newer frigates and belonged to the Moudge-class. Reports described it as a warship built for longer missions at sea. It was fitted with guns and missiles and could also carry a helicopter. AP reported that the US and Iran later argued over whether the ship was fully armed at the time it was sunk.
Iran’s message to the US Navy
Iran is now trying to show that it still has power at sea, especially around the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters. In the material you sent, another line says, “The Strait and the Persian Gulf, whose opening is the eastern Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, are entirely in the hands of the Iranian navy.” Reuters has reported that Iran has looked for ways to stretch the war “in time and space” and use regional pressure points against the US and its partners.
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A separate recent report also said Iran had claimed it fired missiles toward the USS Abraham Lincoln days earlier. This is important because the war is no longer staying close to the Gulf. The Dena was sunk near Sri Lanka, very far from Iran’s home coast. That means the fight has already spread into a much bigger area.
If Iran follows through on its threats against a US aircraft carrier, the conflict could grow even more and pull in more countries and sea routes that matter to world trade and energy supplies. Reuters described the Dena sinking as a dramatic widening of the war zone.
