.

.

(September 9, 2026) — The U.S. military has flatly denied an Iranian claim that its forces struck a U.S. aircraft carrier at a range of 500 kilometers, calling the assertion false as the two sides continue to offer contradictory accounts of their latest naval exchange in the Persian Gulf.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that IRGC spokesperson Gen. Hossein Mohebbi said Tehran had directly struck a U.S. carrier and that, following what Iran dubbed “Operation Ramadan,” all U.S. warships had withdrawn at least 400 kilometers from Iranian shores. Mohebbi claimed that of the 30 to 40 U.S. warships Iran says were previously operating in the Persian Gulf, none now remain, and that the operation proved Iran’s ability to deny naval access and strike targets hundreds of kilometers from its coast. Iran also warned it was preparing another surprise attack, suggesting the operation was not a one-off.

U.S. Central Command dismissed the claim outright, stating that the IRGC’s assertion of a successful strike “is completely FALSE,” that no U.S. Navy warship has been struck, and that all IRGC attempted attacks against American forces have failed. CENTCOM has not named any vessel involved or provided further detail beyond the denial.

The dispute follows an established pattern in the conflict, now in its seventh month. On September 5, the IRGC claimed ballistic missiles had struck and damaged a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer, forcing both to withdraw; CENTCOM said at the time that the warships “successfully evaded” the attacks and that no American personnel were harmed. A day later, Iran claimed a separate strike on a U.S. Navy drone vessel in the Strait of Hormuz — a claim the U.S. also rejected as false.

The latest claims come after a sharp escalation over the preceding 48 hours. CENTCOM said it destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers on September 8 — the largest single-day toll on Iran’s tanker fleet in the war — after the IRGC twice attempted to hit a U.S. warship over the prior two days. Iran responded overnight with a barrage of roughly 20 ballistic missiles targeting the Al Azraq air base in Jordan, which hosts U.S. air operations; Jordanian armed forces said they intercepted 18 of the missiles, with two landing in unpopulated areas and no reported casualties. Iran claimed additional strikes on two U.S. destroyers and several tankers in connection with that barrage, claims that likewise remain unconfirmed by any independent party.

Neither CENTCOM’s denial nor Iran’s claims have been independently verified through satellite imagery, third-party sourcing, or on-the-record detail beyond the competing statements. As in previous exchanges this week, the U.S. and Iranian accounts of the same events remain irreconcilable, with no neutral confirmation yet available.

The broader conflict, which began in February 2026 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury, has increasingly centered on the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has sought to restrict shipping and the U.S. has expanded strikes on Iran’s tanker fleet in retaliation for attacks on American warships. Oil prices have risen accordingly, with Brent crude trading above $100 a barrel on September 9 for the first time in roughly six weeks.

This is a developing story.