Iran has reportedly deployed Fateh‑class semi‑heavy attack submarines and Ghadir‑class midget submarines into and around the Strait of Hormuz just as President Trump’s decision to send the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and other U.S. naval forces toward Iranian waters has brought American power much closer to its shores. The Fateh, a roughly 593‑tonne diesel‑electric boat with four to six 533‑mm tubes capable of firing Valfajr heavy torpedoes and underwater‑launched anti‑ship cruise missiles, and the smaller 117‑tonne Ghadir, armed with 533‑mm tubes for Valfajr or high‑speed Hoot super‑cavitating torpedoes plus cruise missiles, are both optimized for shallow, confined Gulf waters and could threaten shipping and warships inside a 200–300 km engagement envelope.

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