The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a series of provocative claims regarding the initial phase of its latest military operation, dubbed “True Promise 4.” According to senior Iranian military officials, the first 48 hours of the offensive have resulted in over 650 US military casualties across various installations and naval assets in the Middle East.
The Withdrawal of the USS Abraham Lincoln
A central component of the IRGC’s briefing on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, was the reported strategic retreat of the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group. Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, a spokesperson for the IRGC, asserted that the aircraft carrier was forced to abandon its station in the coastal waters near Iran following a sophisticated barrage of cruise missiles and loitering munitions.
General Naeini detailed that the vessel, which had been operating approximately 250 to 300 kilometres off the coast of Chabahar in south-eastern Iran, was targeted by four precision cruise missiles. The IRGC claims this forced the carrier to displace southeast toward the deeper waters of the Indian Ocean to avoid further structural compromise.
Strikes on the US Fifth Fleet
Tehran further alleges that significant damage has been inflicted upon the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. The IRGC contends that their intelligence confirms multiple direct hits on the facility, resulting in at least 160 casualties in a single engagement. Additionally, an American combat support ship, identified by the IRGC as an “MST” class vessel, was reportedly crippled by Iranian naval missiles.
Reported Casualties and Asset Damage (IRGC Claims):
| Target Location / Asset | Nature of Attack | Reported Casualties | Reported Status |
| US 5th Fleet HQ (Bahrain) | Missile & Drone Swarms | 160+ | Extensive Damage |
| USS Abraham Lincoln | 4x Cruise Missiles | Unknown | Retreated to Indian Ocean |
| Combat Support Ship (MST) | Naval Missiles | Unknown | Severely Damaged |
| Regional Outposts | Ballistic & Drone Strikes | 490+ | Various Infrastructure Loss |
| Total Reported Force Impact | Combined Offensive | 650+ | Strategic Displacement |
The Information War
The Pentagon has yet to verify these figures, and historical precedents suggest that both sides in the current conflict frequently engage in psychological warfare to bolster domestic morale. General Naeini acknowledged this discrepancy, stating, “It is only natural for the Americans to deny or suppress news of these casualties. However, Iranian intelligence and battlefield telemetry confirm these numbers with absolute certainty.”
Tehran maintains that “Operation True Promise 4” is a legitimate retaliatory response to what it describes as “ongoing Zionist and American aggression.” As the conflict enters its fifth day, the density of Iranian missile fire suggests a deliberate attempt to saturate US and Israeli air defences. Whether these claims of high-tier casualties represent a factual shift in the war or a narrative escalation remains to be seen.