Iranian Warship Carrier Sails Into Oceanic Waters, Reaching Southern Hemisphere for First Time
Iran’s Shahid Mahdavi light-aircraft carrier is currently undertaking a long-distance mission into the deep ocean, Iranian state media reported on Monday.
The vessel’s exact location was not disclosed, but government-affiliated Fars news agency confirmed that the 240-meter-long repurposed Iranian-flagged cargo liner turned warship has crossed into the Southern Hemisphere for the first time, calling the mission a “milestone.”
Converted into a warfare-capable vessel last year at Iran Shipbuilding & Offshore Industries Complex Co at Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz, Shahid Mahdavi can transport both helicopters and drones and, according to Fars, is equipped with advanced radar and air defense systems. Fars added that a ballistic missile was also allegedly fired from the ship during a naval drill earlier this year.
The warship is operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) naval force. The IRGC is the primary force funding, training, and abetting Iran’s proxy network throughout the region.
The announcement comes as the Islamic Republic’s proxy in Yemen, the Houthi rebels, have renewed threats to target ships traversing the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean.
