The United States military has struck an Iranian vessel described as a "drone carrier," which is reportedly "on fire" following a naval engagement. The operation was confirmed by US Central Command (CENTCOM) on X, as the joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran enters its seventh day. CENTCOM stated that "US forces aren't holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy," noting that the targeted ship is "roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier." While the location of the strike was not disclosed, CENTCOM released footage showing the ship engulfed in thick smoke after taking a direct hit.

CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper reported that nearly 200 targets inside Iran have been hit in the past 72 hours, significantly reducing Tehran’s missile and drone capabilities. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Cooper described the operation, named 'Operation Epic Fury,' which focuses on Iranian missile launchers and infrastructure. He noted that US B-2 Spirit bombers recently dropped dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs on deeply buried missile sites.

According to Cooper, Iranian retaliatory attacks have dropped sharply since the operation began, with ballistic missile attacks falling by 90% and drone strikes by 83%, and over 30 Iranian ships reportedly destroyed. The mission has also expanded to target Iran’s long-term missile production, following directives from President Donald Trump to dismantle the country’s ballistic missile industrial base.

Cooper highlighted a program using a captured Iranian drone, named LUCAS, which was reverse-engineered by US forces and redeployed against Iranian targets. These developments come amid rising tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel strike on February 28 killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior officials. In response, Iran has launched waves of drone and missile attacks on American bases in the region, while Israel continues its strikes on Tehran and has extended operations into Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah.\