US strikes Iran's Bandar Abbas naval base with kamikaze drone boats in first-ever combat use of sea drones

The attack

American forces used three unmanned boats in an attack on Iran's Bandar Abbas naval base on Sunday, marking the first time the U.S. has employed sea drones in combat operations. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation targeted a submarine and ship maintenance facility at the port, one of Iran's primary military harbours.

Last night's strikes degraded Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial shipping.

A video posted to CENTCOM's X account showed what appeared to be aerial footage spliced together with a feed from the bow of one of the drones as it approached a pier, before an explosion sent flames, smoke and a shower of sparks into the air.

The technology

CENTCOM identified the sea drones as Corsairs, a 24-foot-long unmanned boat built by Saronic Technologies. The same type of vessel was used last month to rescue the two-person crew from a U.S. Apache helicopter gunship that went down near the Strait of Hormuz.

Quickly equipping our warfighters with cutting-edge capabilities enhances combat effectiveness, which is why operationalizing these new tools remains a U.S. Central Command priority.

Captain Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, added that U.S. forces deployed to the Middle East had employed several new capabilities over the course of the conflict and that this instance was no different. It remains unclear what advantage sea drones offered compared with conventional missiles for this particular strike, but the Navy appears committed to testing new approaches to missions that do not involve crewed ships.

The broader drone war

Ukraine has made extensive use of naval drones against Russian ships in the Black Sea, using them not only for attacks on vessels but also arming them with antiaircraft weapons and claiming to have shot down Russian warplanes and helicopters. For Ukraine, which was completely outgunned by Russia's powerful fleet of warships at the start of the conflict, inexpensive naval drones have been a complete game changer.

The U.S. attack on Bandar Abbas is the latest sign of how drones are reshaping modern warfare, bringing unmanned surface vessels into the American offensive arsenal for the first time.

Escalating tensions

The strike comes amid a broader escalation of military tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the region. Bandar Abbas is one of Iran's most significant military ports, and the operation represents a new phase in the incorporation of unmanned systems into American military operations. CENTCOM oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East and has signalled that operationalizing new tools remains a priority.