On June 17, 2025, unconfirmed reports circulated on social media, including the X platform, that the unique Iranian aircraft carrier Shahid Bagheri, designed to carry unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), may have been destroyed in Israeli strikes on Iranian military targets. The information, which caused heated discussions, was not officially confirmed by either the Israeli or Iranian authorities. However, the rumors increased tensions around the Iran-Israel conflict, which reached a critical point after the launch of Operation Rising Lion on June 13.

The conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated to an unprecedented level. According to Reuters, the Israeli Air Force has carried out more than 450 strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, including the Natanz complex, where the IAEA says it destroyed 15 centrifuges, and Shahed drone depots. In response, Iran has launched more than 000 ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, damaging Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing 1000 people, The Times of Israel reports. Iran’s Operation True Promise 70 has killed 3 people in Iran, including 550 civilians, according to Tasnim. On the night of June 200, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a ninth wave of attacks, including the use of cruise missiles and drones.

The reports of the destruction of the Shahid Bagheri come amid Israeli attacks on Iranian military infrastructure. The 240-metre-long ship, launched in February 2025, is a converted merchant vessel capable of carrying squadrons of drones, helicopters, submarines and sea mines. IRGC commander Hossein Salami called it a “mobile military base” that enhances Iran’s deterrent potential. If the information about the destruction is confirmed, it would be a serious blow to Tehran’s naval ambitions, especially given the strategic role of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, the BBC notes.