A video released by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) appears to show the moment U.S. military forces struck a large Iranian drone carrier vessel, described by commanders as approximately the size of a World War II aircraft carrier, amid the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict. The footage, shared on the social platform X and reported by multiple outlets, shows explosions and smoke rising from the deck of the vessel following the strike.

CENTCOM stated in its post that “U.S. forces aren’t holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy,” underscoring the intensity of the offensive. The targeted vessel, identified in various reports as the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a former container ship converted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) to launch and support reconnaissance and attack drones.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, told reporters that the carrier‑sized ship was struck late Thursday and is “now on fire,” reflecting major damage to Tehran’s maritime capabilities. He said that U.S. forces have sunk or destroyed more than 30 Iranian naval vessels since the joint U.S.–Israeli military campaign against Iran began.

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The strike is part of Operation Epic Fury, a broader military campaign involving air and naval operations against Iranian military infrastructure. In addition to anti‑ship actions, U.S. commanders reported that B‑2 stealth bombers have dropped dozens of 2,000‑pound bombs on deeply buried ballistic missile infrastructure inside Iran, and other assets — including what officials called Iran’s equivalent of a space command — have been targeted.

The release of the video comes amid accelerating hostilities that have drawn global attention. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signalled further escalation is possible, noting the conflict will “surge dramatically” in the coming days while Iranian air and missile attacks have reportedly declined since the outset of the campaign.

Iranian authorities have not immediately confirmed the destruction of the drone carrier, and broader regional tensions remain high with exchanges of strikes across the Middle East. The introduction of dramatic combat footage marks one of the most visible public disclosures of battlefield events, offering a rare cinematic glimpse into the evolving conflict at sea.

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