First reported by The Washington Post, the development puts one of the United States' chief nuclear-armed competitors in the rapidly expanding conflict.

Iran has, for years, provided Russia with its Shahed drones to attack Ukraine, and now Russian intelligence is returning the favor by aiding Iran in its retaliatory attacks across the Middle East.

The U.S. has sunk at least 30 Iranian ships so far, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Thursday the amount of firepower over Iran soon would surge dramatically.