Satellite image shows Iran's largest navy vessel, a former tanker, on fire

Newly captured satellite imagery shows Iran's largest naval vessel on fire at the military port of Bandar Abbas, with a massive plume of smoke rising from what analysts identified as the IRINS Makran. The Makran is a former oil tanker that was converted into a forward base ship.

Iran converted the Makran in 2020 and commissioned the vessel into the navy the following year. It is not a front-line combat ship but an auxiliary support vessel built to carry roughly a dozen helicopters; its deck can accommodate missile and rocket artillery launchers as well as vertical takeoff and landing drones.

The carrier has completed several long-distance voyages, including one that circled the globe. The strikes at the start of the conflict prioritized Iran's naval forces. President Donald Trump vowed to "annihilate" Iran's navy as he announced the start of "major combat operations." US Central Command said it has destroyed all 11 of Iran's ships in the Gulf of Oman, though it was not immediately clear if that tally includes the Makran.

Iran, Bandar Abbas

irins makran, bandar abbas, iran navy, former tanker, forward base, auxiliary ship, helicopters, vtol drones, us central, donald trump