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Posted on 07/14/2026 8:04:48 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan
The United States military has deployed advanced explosive sea drones in direct combat for the first time, hitting a vital naval maintenance port inside Iran and triggering swift Iranian drone and missile counterstrikes across the region.
A major shift in maritime technology has moved the regional geopolitical theater into uncharted territory. American military forces executed a series of direct strikes against an Iranian naval stronghold, marking a significant development in current maritime operations. The deployment of advanced automated weaponry highlights a critical phase in the ongoing standoff over international shipping corridors.
The tactical operation focused heavily on the Persian Gulf coastline, specifically hitting a crucial military maintenance asset. Heavy damage was recorded at a submarine and ship maintenance facility located inside the secure perimeter of the Bandar Abbas Naval Base. The mission combined various types of automated weaponry, including multiple one-way aerial attack drones alongside cutting edge surface watercraft.
During the engagement, three highly specialized Corsair unmanned surface vessels successfully navigated into the harbor and struck the submarine maintenance infrastructure. This operational use represents the first time American forces have employed unmanned surface vessels during active combat operations. Dramatic video footage released by military channels shows the unmanned watercraft accelerating toward the port facility before detonating and causing major visible destruction.
The deployment followed a direct presidential authorization aimed at reducing regional security threats. Official statements indicated that forces launched another wave of attacks against Iran to degrade its ability to continue attacking commercial shipping and civilian vessels passing freely through the Strait of Hormuz. The commander in chief ordered the targeted operations to force the Iranian forces to bear accountability for recent maritime aggression.
Iranian authorities responded rapidly to the harbor explosions by expanding the geographic scope of the war. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued an immediate declaration claiming they targeted foreign military facilities across neighboring countries in response. They asserted that explosive drones and guided missiles successfully ignited large fuel reservoirs and heavy ammunition storage depots at the Prince Hassan Airbase in Jordan.
The regional counterstrike expanded further into the Gulf waters as the Iranian military attempted to establish balance. Iranian commanders announced that the second phase of their retaliatory response directly struck the Sheikh Isa Airbase in Bahrain. They characterized these cross border operations as an initial response to the American use of coastal attack technologies, raising fears of an unrestricted multi front war.
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Is that in the Red Sea?
Not exactly high tech. Easily defeated by an enemy with defensive capability, but the Iranians dont have that anymore. I do have to wonder if this is really cheaper than a simple 500lb smart bomb. The 500lb bomb would be harder to defeat.
Straits of Hormuz
Are these pre-programmable or do they have to be guided by GPS?
I would think an inertial navigation system would be less subject to jamming.
Yes, but the 1000lb boat bomb can cruise up and blow up directly under the pier, using the water (and probably a nice hard bottom of the boat) to direct much of the blast upwards.
And is coming from a direction from which they were not looking.
As for cost, no clue. It’s a speedboat with a GPS.
They don’t reveal that.
My assumption is it has a 3D picture of the target, a general idea of where it needs to go (by GPS with some fall back like inertial guidance) and then some rudimentary AI that tells it where to go blow up based on the picture.
A boat that size moving that fast would be much harder to track and target with radar. I’d bet there isn’t much of an IR signature either.
Red Sea escalation?
It's Iran's main naval base.Nope. The Arabian peninsula is between this location and the Red Ses. Headline writer was geographically ignorant.
Yeah, the Gulf of Arabia/Persian Gulf is not the Red Sea.
Big time.
Red Sea is the southern entrance to the Suez Canal. Traffic going through Suez Canal has to go through the Red Sea. Iran’s Houthi proxies in Yemen are attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea to choke off Suez Canal cargo traffic like Iran chokes off Hormuz traffic.
That 500lb smart bomb needs to be delivered by a $20 million-dollar manned aircraft, which is at risk from air defenses. And that manned aircraft is very expensive to operate and maintain.
The overall cost and risks from using a drone boat are much lower when attacking a port or surface ships.
For that matter, the overall costs of using drone aircraft to attack targets is lower that using 500lb smart bombs.
We will no doubt get to the point where the 500lb smart bombs are also delivered in "economy packs" by drone aircraft. The drones will be cheap enough to be considered expendable munitions.
The next (and really the current) phase of warfare is machines with autonomous attack and defense capabilities.
I was mistaken, evidently, The Persian Gulf is now the red sea because it is filled with the blood of the martyrs for Allah! The shaheeds and the children killed by the Great Satan and the Little Satan! And those who have been rendered destitute by seeing their homes destroyed. The blood of women, children, the poor, LGBTQs, and trans people! This bloodshed of the martyrs is the work of Donald Trump and his evil minion Netanyahu (or Netanyahu and his evil minion Donald Trump, whatever the IRGC is saying today)!
(you know who you are)
</sarchasm>
Video I saw looked liked the Iranians were caught by complete surprise. This is regrettable in that more of the drones could have been used.
Perhaps. But imaging how many IRGC troops are diverted to watching open water...
GREAT
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