WATCH: Iranian Drone Carrier the Size of a WWII Aircraft Carrier BURSTS INTO FLAMES After Direct Hit by U.S. Forces
A massive Iranian drone carrier—reportedly comparable in size to a World War II–era aircraft carrier—has been left burning after a direct strike by U.S. forces, according to senior American military officials, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The strike was confirmed Thursday by U.S. Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper, who said American forces targeted the vessel as part of a broader campaign to dismantle Iran’s military capabilities.
“In just the last few hours, we hit an Iranian drone carrier ship, roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier,” Cooper said during a briefing. “And as we speak, it’s on fire.”
Cooper did not identify the specific vessel or disclose its location, but U.S. Central Command released video footage showing the strike.
Officials said the attack is part of an aggressive military effort against Iran’s naval assets. According to statements from U.S. military sources, the burning vessel could be the second Iranian drone carrier destroyed or disabled since the war began.
During the opening hours of the conflict on February 28, U.S. forces struck Iran’s first drone aircraft carrier, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, according to U.S. Central Command.
The 240-meter ship, commissioned in February 2025, had been designed as a mobile launch platform for Iran’s expanding drone warfare program, allowing Tehran to project unmanned aerial attacks far beyond its coastline.
CENTCOM revealed that earlier strike days later in a social media post, pushing back on Iranian claims that Tehran had sunk a U.S. aircraft carrier.
U.S. forces aren’t holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy. Today, an Iranian drone carrier, roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier, was struck and is now on fire. pic.twitter.com/WyA4fniZck
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 6, 2026
“The only carrier that has been hit is the Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone carrier,” the command said. “U.S. forces struck the ship within hours of launching Operation Epic Fury.”
The latest attack on the Iranian drone carrier is part of a sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s offensive military infrastructure.
Admiral Cooper said the operation has already inflicted heavy losses on Iran’s navy.
“You may have heard the President say just a little while ago that we have sunk or destroyed 24 ships,” Cooper said. “That was true at the moment. We’re now up to over 30 ships.”
🚫The Iranian regime’s false messaging machine continues to falsely claim that it has sunk a U.S. aircraft carrier.
✅The TRUTH: The only carrier that has been hit is the Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone carrier. U.S. forces struck the ship within hours of launching Operation… pic.twitter.com/6npT8nJcAt— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026
According to Cooper, President Donald Trump also directed U.S. forces to target Iran’s ballistic missile industrial base in addition to its existing arsenal.
“The President gave us another task: to erase or level Iran’s ballistic missile industrial base,” Cooper said. “So we’re not just hitting what they have; we are destroying their ability to rebuild.”
He added that the next phase of the operation will focus on systematically dismantling Iran’s missile production capabilities.
“This is going to take some time, but our forces are well supplied, and we are absolutely ready to prosecute this mission decisively,” Cooper said.
Over the past several days, U.S. and allied forces have also targeted Iranian air defense systems across the region.
“Our combined joint forces have relentlessly destroyed Iran’s air defenses over the past few days, and they continue hunting for additional systems,” Cooper said. “Our air defenders are operating at the very top of their game.”
He also emphasized cooperation with regional allies contributing to what he described as the most integrated air defense network in Middle East history.
“We are fighting to win,” Cooper said.
About Post Author
