US Forces Target Iranian Drone Carrier in Gulf of Oman
The United States military has conducted a targeted strike on Iran's largest naval warship, the Shahid Bagheri, which served as a launching platform for drone attacks against US military bases and Gulf allies. US Central Command publicly disclosed the operation, emphasising that the vessel had been repurposed from a commercial ship into a deadly drone carrier in 2022.
False Claims and Military Rebuttals
In a statement released on social media platform X, US Central Command strongly refuted Iranian leadership's assertions that an American aircraft carrier had been sunk in the Gulf. 'The Iranian regime's false messaging machine continues to falsely claim that it has sunk a US aircraft carrier,' the command stated. 'The only carrier that has been hit is the Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone carrier.'
The strike occurred within hours of launching Operation Epic Fury, according to military officials. The Shahid Bagheri, operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, functioned as a central hub for Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters, featuring a 180-metre flight deck added to accommodate UAVs, helicopters, and medium-range air defence systems.
Escalating Naval Confrontation
Washington revealed that military forces have now sunk eleven naval ships operated by Tehran in the Gulf of Oman since the conflict's inception. Accompanying a video of a strike on an unidentified vessel, US Central Command posted: 'Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO.'
The statement continued: 'The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades. Those days are over. Freedom of maritime navigation has underpinned American and global economic prosperity for more than 80 years. U.S. forces will continue to defend it.'
Regional Chaos and Mounting Casualties
This development follows claims by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that Iran had struck the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles. US Central Command promptly denied these allegations on Sunday, asserting: 'The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn't even come close.'
The region has descended into turmoil over recent days after coordinated US and Israeli missile strikes targeted Iran, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that the death toll among American service members has risen to four, with three US troops previously confirmed killed in engagements with Iranian forces.
Political Statements and Ultimatums
Former President Donald Trump, in an exclusive interview, suggested that fighting with Iran could persist for approximately four weeks. 'It's always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so,' Trump remarked. During a subsequent press conference, he added that the US possessed 'the capability to go far longer' than this projected timeframe.
Trump issued a direct ultimatum to Iranian leaders, urging them to surrender their weapons amid escalating conflict across the Middle East that has seen missiles target Israel, Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, and American military installations. 'These intolerable threats will not continue any longer,' Trump declared. 'I once again urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military police, to lay down your arms and receive full immunity or face certain death.'
He further encouraged the Iranian populace to overthrow the Islamic regime, stating: 'Be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country.' However, Iranian national security official Ali Larijani confirmed that the nation would not engage in negotiations with the United States.
Widening Conflict and Humanitarian Impact
The situation intensified as the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia faced drone attacks, prompting the State Department to advise American citizens to evacuate from fifteen countries across the Middle East due to security concerns. Overnight bombing occurred in Beirut following warnings from the Israel Defence Forces to evacuate buildings associated with Hezbollah militants.
In Tehran, the Motahari Hospital sustained damage from air strikes, with images revealing shattered glass and debris in hallways. The World Health Organisation reported the hospital's evacuation on Monday after nearby explosions. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 555 people have been killed in Iran, with more than 130 cities experiencing attacks.
Authorities confirmed eleven fatalities in Israel and thirty-one in Lebanon, highlighting the expanding humanitarian crisis across the region as military confrontations continue to escalate.
