U.S. Central Command announced on March 1, 2026, that American forces attacked an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette during the first phase of Operation Epic Fury in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel was hit at a pier near Chah Bahar and is reported to be sinking into the Gulf.
The United States military has released footage and images of the damage to the ship. President Donald Trump published a message on social media urging the Iranian military, including the Revolutionary Guards and police, to put down their weapons and “abandon ship.”
President Trump’s Claims on Broader Naval Losses
Trump made broader statements about the U.S. military having sunk nine Iranian naval vessels, as well as continuing the operation to destroy the balance of Iran’s naval vessels, which he said is part of the aims of eliminating the Iranian military threat. He also said that the Iranian missile attacks on the USS Abraham Lincoln (an aircraft carrier) did not hit the vessel.
The support from the U.S. military for the remainder of eight other ships has not yet been confirmed. However, the implication by President Trump shows a huge escalation in the direct naval operations between the United States and Iran.
Context: Operation Epic Fury & Wider Conflict
The naval strike on a U.S.-Israeli coordinated mission was a part of Operation Epic Fury which resulted in many Iranian senior military officers being killed. Reportedly the operation has resulted in the deaths of dozens of Iranian officers including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei according to conflicting reports.
Iran has retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones targeting U.S. forward operating bases across the Middle East; with particular focus on Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. Both sides have sustained military casualties as well as civilian casualties throughout the region.
Read more: US President Donald Trump Claims Destruction of 9 Iranian Naval
Casualties and Regional Fallout
The Pentagon has indicated that at least 3 U.S. service members have been killed and 5 have suffered severe injuries in relation to the larger efforts. Iran has since stepped up their retaliatory strikes against both military and commercial targets; including alleged attempts to strike the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and attacks on oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz; though officials from the United States deny that there was any strike on the USS Abraham Lincoln.
As a result of the disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route used to transport approximately 20% of the crude oil traded globally, the prices of crude oil globally increased drastically.
Also read: Middle East Erupts as Israel and the United States Strike Iran
International Reaction and Diplomatic Strain
Numerous countries (including the UK’s Governments) have been informed that their military forces will be permitted to use facilities established by the US (as a means of providing military operations, along with other US Military assistance) on an operational basis, although numerous Nations have raised concerns with respect to the limitations of such force utilisation.
Many Nations (including the Russian Federation) have reacted angrily and are warning against the escalation of violence into a global conflict.
An emergency session of the UN Security Council, where many Nations expressed their concerns about the potential for a regional conflict and recommended an urgent need for both diplomatic initiatives and diplomatic negotiations, has been called.
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