US Navy Ship Sustains Damage Amid Mideast Tensions

A US Navy replenishment ship, the USNS Big Horn, has sustained damage in an unspecified incident in the Middle East, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The vessel, which has been supplying the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, remains in the region. The incident's specifics are currently undisclosed, but a US Navy official confirmed the safety of the Big Horn's crew and noted no signs of an oil leak. Photos from early September depict the Big Horn supplying the Lincoln, now patrolling the Arabian Sea. A second US official said private tugboats are aiding the vessel, with further assessments in progress.

Speculation about the ship's condition emerged after images on gCaptain suggested it had "ran aground ... and partially flooded off the coast of Oman." The Big Horn, part of the Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet, plays a crucial role in maintaining the operations of the Lincoln's strike group, which includes both fossil fuel and nuclear-powered ships requiring at-sea resupply. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)