One of Iran’s most advanced warships, the Shahid Soleimani-class corvette IRIS Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, has been sunk by U.S. forces in the Indian Ocean amid ongoing operations against Tehran.

Footage captured by U.S. surveillance aircraft shows the vessel engulfed in flames, with smoke rising from its hull before it eventually sank. 

U.S. forces have struck or sunk to the bottom of the ocean more than 20 ships from the Iranian regime. Last night, CENTCOM added a Soleimani-class warship to the list. pic.twitter.com/KgW8cS726P

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 4, 2026

Images appear to show a Shahid Soleimani-class missile corvette of the IRGC-N burning off Bandar Abbas after U.S. strikes. Among the largest IRGC-N surface combatants, these ships are typically fitted with some combination of SAMs, CIWS, and a UAV/helicopter pad. pic.twitter.com/PkS5NSHCnp

— Nicole Grajewski (@NicoleGrajewski) March 4, 2026

The Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, commissioned in February 2024, is one of the newest additions to Iran’s naval fleet. 

The corvette could reach 45 knots and was equipped with a vertical launch system, air-defense missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, gun systems, and a large flight deck. It had recently participated in Iran’s “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” exercise, where it conducted the first public shipborne launch of the Sayyad-3G surface-to-air missile.

🇮🇷 During military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran for the first time launched its latest Sayyad-3G surface-to-air missile from the missile catamaran IRIS Shahid Sayyad Shirazi. pic.twitter.com/dfxBhHZ5HU

— Military Observer (@TheMilObserverr) February 18, 2026

According to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, U.S. forces have struck more than 2,000 targets across Iran and destroyed over 20 of the Islamic Republic’s naval vessels. 

U.S. officials earlier confirmed that the losses include a Jamaran-class corvette and the drone carrier IRIS Shahid Bagheri.