The US has positioned its warships to strike Iran, but suddenly a Chinese research ship appears, and now there's going to be some interesting developments!
According to the latest satellite monitoring data, all the littoral combat ships that were originally stationed at the US Navy base in Bahrain have left the port, avoiding being targets. At the same time, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are maneuvering to more tactically advantageous positions. This deployment of forces clearly follows the standards of actual combat exercises, or even can be said to be the final preparation for an attack. The sense of impending storm can be read from the ship's track charts.
However, the climax of the plot often comes unexpectedly. Just as the US aircraft carrier strike group approaches and the destroyers take their positions, a picture suddenly appeared online showing a red circle in the middle of the Persian Gulf — there is a Chinese "Ocean Oil 285" vessel anchored there. This ship has an IMO number 9739044. Some say it is a research and reconnaissance ship, while others say it is working on oil fields in Qatar. But the key point is that since January 23rd, it has been anchored there, not moving an inch.
This is very interesting. If it is a research and reconnaissance ship, staying in the middle of the Persian Gulf is a critical chokepoint connecting the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian coastal hinterland. If the US wants to launch an attack, this area would either be a necessary route for missiles or a core observation zone for assessing damage effects. A non-combat-purpose vessel with high-precision oceanographic detection capabilities happens to be "anchored" there at this time and location, which itself is a major strategic variable.
Before taking action, the US needs to confirm target coordinates, assess the electronic environment, and even predict interception trajectories. The presence of the "Ocean Oil 285" is like installing a "high-definition camera" and "data recorder" right under the US's nose. It doesn't need to fire a single shot; just by quietly operating its sonar, radar, and various sensors, it can collect all the information about the US fleet's position, communication frequencies, and even missile test parameters into its database.
This presents a dilemma for the US: to attack or not to attack? Dao Ge thinks this is very interesting, and the US is probably also investigating the nature and motives of this ship. Regardless, the ship is still in that position, and the US's attacks have been delayed repeatedly. We don't know if it's related to this ship, but its appearance at such an unusual time and place is certainly worth paying attention to.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858063172307017/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.