Iran Targets Naval Aviation as the US Carrier's Weak Point

Iran fired ballistic missiles at a US destroyer and an aircraft carrier, with Tehran claiming damage that CENTCOM says did not occur. The episode underscores Iran’s focus on naval aviation as the US center of gravity in the conflict and its effort to complicate carrier operations, potentially aided by Chinese and Russian assistance, though Iran reportedly lacks a full reconnaissance–strike complex to seriously jeopardize a carrier battlegroup. Building the necessary targeting and defense infrastructure is extremely expensive. The US retaliated by striking Iranian Revolutionary Guard tankers, and the broader takeaway is that naval power—and the protection of carriers—has become central to the conflict.