Iran's largest warship sinks in Gulf of Oman after catching fire

The Iranian Navy’s largest warship, Kharg, caught on fire and sank Wednesday in the Gulf of Oman, near Jask, an Iranian port.

There were 400 people on board, 33 of which suffered injuries as a result of the incident, the cause of which is still unknown.

The vessel, used to resupply other ships at sea and conduct training exercises for cadets, was like other aging Iranian military tools that dated back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"For the regular Iranian navy, this vessel was very valuable because it gave them reach,” said Mike Connell of the Center for Naval Analysis, according to the Associated Press. 

Images and videos of the attack have been published through both satellite data and Iranian social media.

A video from Fars news agency shows smoke billowing from the sinking ship early Wednesday.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which can detect fires from space, also has released images of the flames before the fire was reported, also according to Fars.

Beginning in 2019, commercial ships have exploded in the gulf. Iran has in the recent past had escalating tensions with numerous other countries including neighboring Israel and the United States, after former President Trump pulled the country out an international nuclear deal with Tehran and reimposed sanctions.