Washington, Oct. 8 (SANA) U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the USS Abraham Lincoln flew about 4,000 combat sorties and logged 23,000 combat flight hours during its mission in the Middle East.
Agence France-Presse reported Thursday that Hegseth made the remarks during an inspection of the carrier following its return from the region. He said the carrier strike group conducted about 10,000 sorties overall, praised its crew and said the group had accomplished what “no other group has done before.”
Hegseth also announced that the carrier strike group would receive the Presidential Unit Citation in recognition of what he described as its “extraordinary heroism in action against enemy forces.”
The U.S. Navy previously said the Abraham Lincoln left Thailand on Sept. 6 after a five-day port call.
On Aug. 14, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), denied media reports that seven sailors had died following a fight aboard the carrier in the Middle East. The command said no service members aboard the ship had died.
The Abraham Lincoln left San Diego, California, on Nov. 21, 2025, for a mission in the South China Sea before being redirected to the Middle East shortly before the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran on Feb. 28.
R.D/RK
