The Southern California warship USS Abraham Lincoln played a critical role in the coordinated strikes against Iran early Saturday morning.

The aircraft carrier — which is based at San Diego’s Naval Air Station North Island — has been positioned in the Arabian Sea for weeks and serves as a launchpad for US Navy and Marine aircraft, FOX 5 San Diego reported.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, described as the “the flagship of a nine-ship strike group,” is one of the world’s largest warships.

The aircraft carrier’s presence in the Middle East is intended to deter further escalation while enabling offensive operations, officials said.

It provides support and operates aircraft that engage in attacks against threats by air, land and sea.

Saturday morning’s unprecedented joint military attack in Iran killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and 10 high-ranking leaders in his fortified compound, as well over 40 top Iranian security and regime figures, Israeli officials said.

Following the attack, Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles at nine countries, including a US Navy base in Bahrain, killing at least five people. Initial reports suggested there were no US casualties.

The impact of the strike on the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, the naval command overseeing the US Navy’s Middle East operations, wasn’t immediately clear.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier and its strike group engage in maritime security operations to interdict threats to merchant shipping and prevent the use of the seas for terrorism and piracy, the US Navy said.

Aircraft carriers like the USS Abraham Lincoln also provide unique capabilities for disaster response and humanitarian assistance.