The United States military has used unmanned surface vessels in combat for the first time, striking an Iranian submarine and ship maintenance facility at the Bandar Abbas naval base on Sunday, according to a statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM). Three Corsair sea drones, each 24 feet long and capable of carrying a 1,000-pound payload, hit the port and triggered large explosions, footage released by CENTCOM shows. The command said the operation “degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial maritime shipping” and confirmed it was the first employment of American sea drones in combat operations.

Viewed from Washington, the strike is part of a broader campaign to force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne crude oil transited before the war. President Donald Trump announced on Monday the reimposition of a naval blockade and said the US would charge a 20 percent fee to protect vessels transiting the strait. In response, Tehran has launched attacks against Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates — all US allies hosting American military assets — widening the conflict across the Gulf region.

The use of the Corsair drones, manufactured by Texas-based Saronic Technologies, reflects a shift in US naval doctrine toward integrating autonomous systems into frontline operations. The same model was used last month to rescue the crew of a downed US Army helicopter, and the Navy’s Task Force 59 began fielding Corsairs in the region in late March. Over the weekend, US forces also struck approximately 140 Iranian military targets with precision munitions from aircraft, drones and naval vessels, CENTCOM said. The command has separately deployed underwater drones to clear Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, though it has not specified which systems are being used or how many mines have been neutralised.

The escalation follows the collapse of a ceasefire framework signed on 17 June, which Trump declared void on 8 July, citing persistent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels. The strategic waterway has become the focal point of a conflict that has drawn in multiple regional states. With no diplomatic track currently active, the reimposition of the blockade and the introduction of new uncrewed combat capabilities signal that both sides are preparing for a protracted confrontation over control of the strait.