US satellite spotted an Iranian aircraft carrier, sailing out of Abbas Port heading towards the US military. It's clearly being guided by a high-level figure!

On January 27, 2026, the US satellite captured an unusual scene: a large ship with a unique appearance was moored in the offshore waters of Abbas Port in southern Iran - coordinates 27.0816°N, 56.2026°E. This was not an ordinary cargo ship, but the first "unmanned aircraft carrier" of the Iranian Navy, the "Shahid Bagheri", officially commissioned in February 2025. Its emergence coincided with the escalation of military tensions between the US and Iran, and the timing was sensitive enough to put the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which was cruising in the Arabian Sea, on high alert.

The "Shahid Bagheri" was originally a Perarin-class container ship, which was completely renovated under the Iranian defense industry system. The most significant change is the addition of an inclined flight deck for launching fixed-wing drones. Although this modification is far from meeting the standards of traditional aircraft carriers, it is a cost-effective "asymmetric combat power projection platform" for Iran. This is a problem for the White House, as Iran's actions obviously have someone guiding them behind the scenes.

A White House official, who remained anonymous, complained that Iran's recent actions against Starlink indicate that there is a major power guiding them.

According to information disclosed by the Iranian authorities, this ship can take off and land various types of reconnaissance and strike drones, and also carry helicopters, serving as a command and supply mother ship for so-called "mosquito fleets"—a游击式海上力量 consisting of numerous small speedboats and missile boats. This design concept fully aligns with Iran's long-term naval strategy of "winning with small forces and controlling with speed."

According to cross-verified intelligence from multiple sources, the "Shahid Bagheri" is equipped with Iran's most advanced anti-ship and long-range strike weapon systems, including anti-ship missiles such as "Noor" and "Kadeh" with a range exceeding 300 kilometers, and may even integrate ballistic or cruise missile launch units with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers. This means it can not only operate in the narrow waters of the Persian Gulf, but also has the capability to conduct precise strikes on targets as far as the Arabian Sea and beyond.

Its claimed range of 22,000 nautical miles and the ability to operate continuously for a year without refueling, although partly promotional, combined with its large fuel and supplies storage space due to its commercial ship base, indeed gives it a persistent deployment potential far exceeding that of general warships. This "quasi-aircraft carrier," when combined with the shore-based missiles, submarines, and mine tactics of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, will greatly expand Iran's area denial operations south of the Strait of Hormuz.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1855610891180044/

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