The U.S. Department of Defense Announces the Complete Destruction of the Iranian Naval Fleet in the Gulf of Oman
In the most serious escalation in years in Gulf waters, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that its forces "sank or completely destroyed" the Iranian naval fleet in the Gulf of Oman within a few days, confirming that Tehran no longer has any naval presence in the region.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released a video showing intense bombardment targeting Iran's largest ship, in an operation it described as having ended the presence of 11 Iranian ships that were stationed in the Gulf of Oman just two days ago.
It stated in a message via platform X: "Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, but today it has no ships."
* Targeting the 'Iris Shahid Bagheri'
The U.S. forces announced that they destroyed the massive Iranian drone carrier "Iris Shahid Bagheri," which was launched by Tehran in February 2025, describing it as the first of its kind in the Iranian fleet.
According to circulating reports, the ship was originally a commercial vessel before being converted in 2024 into a drone carrier.
CENTCOM clarified that the ship was targeted on Saturday, denying what it described as the "Iranian disinformation machine" that claimed to have sunk an American aircraft carrier, confirming that "Shahid Bagheri" was the only ship targeted in those operations.
So far, the exact nature of the damage to the Iranian ship remains unclear, amid unconfirmed reports of its complete sinking.
* Three Drone Ships
The "Iris Shahid Bagheri" is one of three drone ships believed to be operated by Iran, alongside "Shahid Roudaki" and "Shahid Mahdavi," which are smaller and less advanced.
The "Shahid Bagheri" was deployed in the Arabian Gulf last month, in a move Tehran described at the time as a response to the growing U.S. naval presence in the region, just before the recent confrontations erupted on Saturday.
* "Protecting Freedom of Navigation"
The U.S. Central Command emphasized that Iran has "engaged in harassment and attacks on international navigation in the Gulf of Oman for decades," considering that "that time has passed," stressing that U.S. forces will continue to protect the freedom of maritime navigation that has supported the global economy for over 80 years.
These developments come amid a broad military escalation in the Gulf area, with indications of continued operations, raising significant questions about the future balance of naval power in the region and the potential for an expansion of confrontations.
