In a recent development, the US military announced early Friday that an Iranian drone carrier was struck and set on fire. This revelation came through a statement from the US Central Command, which also released black-and-white video footage depicting the carrier engulfed in flames following multiple strikes.
At this time, the Iranian military has yet to comment on the incident, maintaining its pattern of silence regarding losses of military equipment throughout the ongoing conflict. The vessel in question, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a converted container ship that Iran unveiled in February 2025.
Designed for long-range operations, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri features a 590-foot runway specifically for drones. Impressively, it boasts the capability to travel up to 22,000 nautical miles without requiring port refueling, as reported during its inauguration. Despite the severity of the attack, Tehran has remained tight-lipped about the details of the incident and its potential impact on military operations.
The message from the US military’s Central Command showed black-and-white footage of the carrier ablaze after multiple strikes hit it.
The Iranian military did not immediately acknowledge the attack. Tehran has not been offering details on its materiel losses in the war so far.
The drone carrier, named the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a converted container ship.
Iran inaugurated the vessel in February 2025.
The vessel has a 590-foot-longrunway for drones, and it can travel up to 22,000 nautical miles without needing to refuel in ports, reports said at the time.
The attack comes as the Central Command said “US forces aren’t holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian navy.”
