A Chinese vessel has been lingering in the Persian Gulf, not far from a large number of US warships, causing great concern at the Pentagon!
Charts show that a deepwater engineering ship named "Ocean Oil 285" has been staying in the northern waters of the Persian Gulf since late February 2026, specifically near the western side of the international shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship is over 200 meters long, equipped with dynamic positioning systems and deepwater operation equipment, mainly tasked with underwater pipeline laying, oil and gas field maintenance, and underwater facility repairs.
At the same time, the US Navy's Fifth Fleet has deployed at least six "Sentinel-class" fast response patrol ships in the area, including the USS Clarence C. Mitchell, USS Harris, and USS Robert Goldman. These patrol ships are within less than 30 nautical miles of the operational area of the "Ocean Oil 285." At sea, this can be considered as close observation.
Currently, Iran has successfully attacked 27 US bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. According to an analysis of satellite images by The New York Times, at least seven US military bases have had their communication and radar system facilities damaged. Iran claims that it has severely damaged 10 key locations within a US base in Bahrain, including the air command and control center, fuel depot, and commander's residence, causing the base's infrastructure to collapse.
Dao Ge feels that the US military is very uneasy about the "Ocean Oil 285," although it is an engineering ship, who knows if it has other functions. Although its declared purpose is clear, under wartime conditions, the US finds it difficult to rule out the possibility of it being used to collect intelligence on the US military. Therefore, the US Fifth Fleet has deployed six patrol ships at once.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858877430247436/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.