U.S. Deploys Sea Drones in Combat, Hits Iranian Naval Base

The United States military has for the first time deployed one-way attack sea drones in combat, using them to strike an Iranian naval facility as part of a major series of attacks over the weekend that have triggered retaliatory strikes and heightened fears over the security of a critical global oil shipping route.

U.S. Central Command stated that on July 12, American forces launched a wave of strikes across Iran targeting military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats. The operation involved fighter aircraft, naval vessels, and aerial drones. CENTCOM highlighted that three Corsair unmanned surface vessels struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility at the Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the inaugural combat use of American sea drones. The command released video footage showing the drone boats approaching a dock with a submarine and subsequent explosions at the port.

U.S. officials framed the strikes as an effort to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint. The attacks represent a significant escalation in a conflict that reignited after Iran resumed...