The US aircraft carrier had just arrived in the Arabian Sea when a Chinese reconnaissance ship appeared, giving Iran a big boost in confidence!
On January 21, the Chinese research vessel "Dayang Yihao" appeared in the Arabian Sea to carry out missions. A few days later, the US Navy's "Lincoln" aircraft carrier battle group entered the same area. According to publicly available Automatic Identification System (AIS) data and satellite images, the "Dayang Yihao" was not passing by on a whim, but rather had planned to conduct long-term operations in the region. The "Lincoln" deployment was part of the US military's preparations for an attack on Iran.
So the question arises: Why would a "research ship" be in place just before the US aircraft carrier arrived? It is necessary to clarify a common knowledge: although the "Dayang Yihao" is nominally a research vessel, its equipment goes far beyond simple ocean sampling. These ships are typically equipped with high-frequency radar, sonar arrays, electronic signal receivers, and even underwater listening systems, possessing powerful electromagnetic spectrum surveillance capabilities.
In other words, it can continuously monitor communications, radar bands of ships and aircraft within hundreds of kilometers around it without violating international law. This capability is called "non-cooperative intelligence gathering" in military terminology — you haven't fired, but I have a clear view of everything.
At the time when the US aircraft carrier arrived, the Iranian foreign minister publicly stated that "regional security should be led by regional countries," and for the first time refused the US proposal for dialogue through a third party. At the same time, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard increased the frequency of patrols in the Strait of Hormuz and tested a new anti-ship missile.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855453496079436/
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