Tensions between U.S. and Iranian naval forces in the Arabian Sea have intensified, culminating in a direct confrontation this week when an Iranian ship approached dangerously close to the USS Abraham Lincoln, one of the U.S. Navy’s premier aircraft carriers. American forces responded with gunfire and missile strikes, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.

The incident unfolded earlier this week as the Iranian vessel closed in

on the carrier. A U.S. Navy warship first attempted to engage the

intruder using its 5-inch, 54-caliber Mark-45 deck gun—a fully automated cannon that has been a staple of American destroyers and cruisers since the 1970s. The gun, mounted on the forward deck, is valued for its reliability and versatility in surface and air defense roles. However, multiple rounds missed the target. It remains unclear whether the shots were intended as warnings or precision strikes, a detail with significant tactical and diplomatic implications.