The United States has dealt a crushing blow to Iran’s naval power, blasting the drone carrier Shahid Bagheri with a wave of precision strikes and vowing to “dismantle the entire war‑fighting capacity” of the Iranian navy, US Central Command officials say.

Night‑vision footage released by the Pentagon shows cruise missiles slamming into the converted container vessel as it lay at anchor near Iran’s southern coast. A series of secondary explosions ripped through the ship’s packed drone decks and fuel stores, sending fireballs hundreds of metres into the air before the carrier rolled sharply to port, half‑submerged and burning from bow to stern.

US commanders describe Shahid Bagheri as the “central launchpad” for long‑range Shahed and kamikaze drones that have been harassing American bases, Israeli targets and Gulf shipping lanes. With the ship now “mission‑killed,” they say follow‑on strikes will focus on the smaller frigates, fast‑attack craft and logistics vessels that keep Iran’s missile and drone network supplied at sea.

Tehran calls the attack a “cowardly assassination of a national symbol,” insisting that most of the carrier’s drones and crew were evacuated beforehand and vowing that “new platforms” are already being prepared. But satellite imagery circulating among analysts shows a gutted hulk leaking fuel, surrounded by tugs and rescue boats struggling just to keep it afloat.

For regional navies and global markets, the message is stark: Washington is no longer simply defending sea lanes, but methodically ripping apart the backbone of Iran’s naval power. The only question now is whether sinking one flagship will end the drone onslaught—or trigger a desperate last lash from a navy suddenly fighting for its life.