U.S. Central Command said it used three Corsair unmanned surface vessels to hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, degrading Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping. The attack marks the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations, according to CENTCOM.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage Monday confirming the sinking of an Iranian Ghadir-class submarine and damage to a ship maintenance facility at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, following an overnight strike that marked the first combat use of American sea drones. The attack used three Corsair unmanned surface vessels (USVs) to hit the port, degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM.
The development caps a rapid sequence of reports that began Monday at 15:01 Jerusalem, when journalist Amit Segal (N12) reported that the United States had employed suicide boats against Iran for the first time. Minutes later, CENTCOM officially confirmed the strike, saying it had used three Corsair USVs. The Pentagon then released video footage of the attack, and by mid-afternoon, CENTCOM published additional footage showing the sinking of a Ghadir-class submarine that was docked at the facility. An Iranian-aligned source confirmed the submarine sank, according to the report.
The strike is the latest in a sustained U.S. campaign to secure the Strait of Hormuz, where CENTCOM has conducted multiple rounds of strikes against Iranian military targets since early May, as The Zioneer has reported. The use of one-way attack USVs represents a tactical shift from the primarily airstrike-based operations in the campaign. Since May, over 800 merchant ships carrying an estimated 400 million barrels of oil have passed through the waterway under U.S. escort.
The full extent of damage to the Bandar Abbas facility remains based on CENTCOM's own footage and statements; no independent assessment has been published.
16 developments
- DevelopingCENTCOM video reportedly pinpoints strike location on Iranian Ghadir-class submarine at Bandar Abbas
- ConfirmedCENTCOM intercepts Iranian suicide drones targeting commercial ships in Strait of Hormuz
- StrongCENTCOM announces new wave of strikes across Iran after drone hits oil tanker
- DevelopingUS CENTCOM Downs Two Iranian Drones in Strait of Hormuz
Source and signal
- Internal intake