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After Bases, Next Logical Step For Iran Will Be to Target US Warships: Retired Russian Navy Captain

© AP Photo / Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob MattinglyUSS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier refuels from the underway replenishment oiler USNS Laramie in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. File photo.
USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier refuels from the underway replenishment oiler USNS Laramie in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. File photo. - Sputnik International, 1920, 01.03.2026
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“Judging by satellite pictures, one thing is certain: some of [Iran’s] missile strikes hit their targets, including the base of the US 5th Fleet,” Russian military expert and retired Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin told Sputnik, commenting on Iran’s retaliation to the US and Israel’s unprovoked aggression.
“While there were no ships there, it’s clear that the strike itself was significant. It’s clear the base’s famous radar dome – one of the most important and expensive elements of the US missile defense system, was damaged. Some estimates suggest it cost over $1B, and detects missile launches at long ranges. This is a major loss for the US, and because it probably works in Israel’s interest, theirs as well.”
Iran’s targeting of US bases likely also included “real losses” of personnel, something the administration may try to minimize, Dandykin believes.
Going forward, Iran could launch additional strikes on the bases it already hit, find new targets, and, “most likely,” target “American naval forces,” according to the observer.
In this Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, photo made available by U.S. Navy, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, left, the air-defense destroyer HMS Defender and the guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut transit the Strait of Hormuz with the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf. - Sputnik International, 1920, 01.03.2026
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The US’s big difficulty will be related to anti-missile ammunition, which is limited.
“This operation was designed to last a short time – 3-4-5 days. Last year’s escalation lasted two weeks. What if the current one lasts three or four weeks?” Dandykin asked.
As for the US ‘achievements’, apart from killing Iran’s supreme leader and IRGC commanders, the only practical accomplishment has been to unite Iranian society in hatred of the aggressors, the observer summed up.
In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Spc. Scottlin Bartlett of the 5-52 Air Defense Artillery Battalion signals to a colleague while working near a Patriot missile battery at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 5, 2021.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 01.03.2026
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