A U.S. Navy vessel, the USNS Big Horn, has sustained damage in an (as yet) undisclosed incident in the Middle East, officials reported Tuesday. The circumstances surrounding the damage are currently under investigation.
The Big Horn, which has been supporting the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, remains in the region amid escalating tensions due to the Israel-Hamas conflict and Israel's ongoing operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
A U.S. Navy official confirmed that the incident occurred in the Middle East but declined to provide specific details about the location. Recent military photos show the Big Horn supplying the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea as recently as September 11.
Officials assured that the Big Horn's crew is safe and there are no signs of oil leakage from the vessel. The ship is currently receiving assistance from private tugboats as damage assessment continues.
Speculation about the Big Horn's condition emerged early Tuesday when images on gCaptain, a shipping tracking website, appeared to show flooding aboard the vessel. The website claimed the ship had "ran aground ... and partially flooded off the coast of Oman," though this information remains unverified.
The Big Horn plays a crucial role in supplying fuel and other necessities to the Abraham Lincoln strike group. With approximately 80 civilians and five military personnel on board, these oilers are essential for maintaining naval operations in the region.
The availability of similar ships in the immediate area is unclear, potentially impacting ongoing naval operations in the Middle East. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command has declined to comment on the situation.
Yeshiva World News contributed to this article.
