image sourced from original article at The United States has destroyed Iran's largest warship, the Shahid Bagheri, in a strike that officials said eliminated a key platform used to launch drone attacks against American bases. The vessel, originally a commercial ship converted into a drone carrier in 2022, was operated by Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces and equipped with a long flight deck, helicopters, unmanned aircraft and air defense systems. American military officials said the strike occurred within hours of the launch of a new operation and marked a major blow to Iran's naval capabilities in the Gulf of Oman.
American commanders also rejected Iran's claims that it had struck the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, stating that no American carrier had been hit. Washington said it has now sunk 11 Iranian naval vessels in the Gulf of Oman since the conflict began, declaring that threats to international shipping would no longer be tolerated.
The escalation comes amid a widening regional conflict involving missile exchanges between Iran, Israel and American forces. Hundreds have been reported killed in Iran, with additional casualties in Israel and Lebanon. The United States has urged its citizens to leave multiple Middle Eastern countries as fighting continues, while Iran has vowed not to surrender despite calls from President Donald Trump to lay down its arms.
