U.S. naval forces struck an Iranian naval base near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday using kamikaze drone boats, marking the first combat deployment of such uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) by Washington. The strikes targeted a submarine and ship maintenance facility, according to U.S. Central Command (Centcom).
Footage released by Centcom shows a USV impacting the port at Bandar Abbas, the headquarters of the Iranian navy, followed by a large explosion. Two other USVs were involved in subsequent attacks on the base. Centcom stated that the mission degraded Iran's capability to attack commercial shipping.
The autonomous boat, identified as the Saronic Corsair, is a 24-foot vessel capable of speeds up to 35 knots and can conduct strikes from 1,000 nautical miles away. It was first fielded by the U.S. in March. Washington has increased its use of these USVs in the Middle East as it tests new technologies.
These strikes are part of a series of retaliatory actions between the U.S. and Iran. President Donald Trump announced a new round of strikes on Monday, stating that Washington was reinstating a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. "We're taking out all of their capability for anything having to do with the strait, the Hormuz Strait," Trump told CBS News. He indicated that the U.S. was prepared to hit Iran "very hard" on Monday and Tuesday.
Trump also stated that the U.S. would be designated "The Guardian of the Hormuz Strait" and would seek reimbursement from allied nations for protecting the waterway. He claimed that the U.S. military had inflicted significant damage on Iran's naval, air force, missile, and drone capabilities within four months of the conflict.
In response to the U.S. strikes, Iran attacked Bahrain and two tankers associated with the United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night. These attacks resulted in one mariner killed and eight wounded. The UAE has threatened retaliation, potentially drawing it back into conflict with Tehran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint, with approximately one-fifth of the world's crude oil and natural gas passing through it during peacetime. The ongoing exchanges of fire have heightened concerns of a broader conflict.
This marks the third consecutive day of American strikes on Iran and the fifth in the past week. Centcom reported that the strikes aim to impose a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack civilian and commercial shipping.
Earlier in the conflict, which began in February, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had declared the strait closed until further notice following an attack. Iran also claimed responsibility for strikes on U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, though Washington denied significant damage or casualties from the attack on Jordan's Prince Hassan Air Base.
Amidst the escalating tensions, oil prices saw an increase. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose by 5 percent, reaching $79.93 a barrel.