U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has reported that American forces struck an Iranian craft, identified as a drone carrier, amidst ongoing military actions in the region, leaving the ship engulfed in flames.
In a communique shared on social media, the command specified that U.S. forces had targeted the vessel as part of a broader initiative against Iran’s maritime capabilities. “U.S. forces are fully committed to the objective of incapacitating the entire Iranian Navy,” the command emphasized, adding that “an Iranian drone carrier, approximately the size of a WWII aircraft carrier, sustained an impact and is now ablaze.”
This craft is thought to be one of Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) transport ships, employed for deploying aerial systems and supporting naval operations. These specific vessels are modified commercial ships outfitted with flight platforms designed to launch reconnaissance and assault drones.
CENTCOM did not disclose the identity of the ship involved in the assault. However, the command had previously reported hitting an Iranian UAV transport-type vessel earlier in the campaign; it now appears the latest declaration may pertain to additional harm to the identical vessel rather than the obliteration of a second transport-type craft.
The IRIS Shahid Bagheri is a converted merchant vessel managed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. Activated last year, it has been showcased by Tehran as a maritime base for unmanned apparatus. Instead of operating rapid combat aircraft, the vessel is designed to launch and retrieve drones and helicopters, thereby providing Iran a method for extending the reach of its unmanned aerial missions beyond its coastline.
Visuals previously published by Iranian state media depicted an extended, level platform customized for UAV activity, alongside provisions for supporting command, oversight, and upkeep duties.