For the first time, the US military deployed explosive-laden drone boats in combat, targeting an Iranian midget submarine and naval port on July 12. This marks a significant escalation, nearly a decade after Iran and Houthi forces first showcased similar "one-way attack surface drones."

US Central Command confirmed the strikes at Iran’s Bandar Abbas Naval Base, releasing video of three drones exploding upon reaching their targets. The drones, identified as Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessels, were able to approach uncontested. One target was an Iranian Ghadir-class midget submarine suspended from a gantry. The Saronic Corsair is a 24-foot vessel capable of carrying 1,000 pounds over 1,000 nautical miles.

This is the second notable use of drone boats by the US military in the ongoing conflict. Previously, a Corsair drone was used to rescue two US Army helicopter pilots after their AH-64 Apache helicopter was downed by an Iranian drone.