Iran Suspected of Using Naval Drones to Hit Tankers in Strait of Hormuz

Iran is supposidly using naval drones to strike oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz as it moves to disrupt a vital export route, according to Defense Express on March 12.

The military outlet reported that several tankers were later damaged, including one near Kuwait, in attacks believed to involve unmanned surface craft.

Iran previously relied on anti-ship missiles, naval mines, and armed fast boats in the area but unmanned boats offer a cheaper option against tankers, which have little ability to respond.

Defense Express also cited images and analysis by OSINT researcher H I Sutton, who assessed that Iran may have already publicly shown such craft

One boat highlighted in the description has a cabin and may be optionally crewed. That would allow it to operate with sailors on board or remotely. The report outlined one possible tactic. A crewed boat could enter the target area, transfer its crew to another vessel, and then continue the attack remotely.

Defense Express noted that the craft shown in available images does not appear to carry a satellite communications antenna.

That suggests control may rely on a radio link. The report added that such a link would be vulnerable to electronic warfare and limited by the radio horizon .

It also noted that those limits are less severe in the roughly 50-kilometer-wide Strait of Hormuz than in Ukraine.

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The report cautioned that the vessel identified by Sutton may still be a standard crewed boat from Iran’s small-boat fleet. It stressed that there is no firm proof yet that the tanker attacks were carried out by that specific unmanned craft.

Recently, three commercial vessels were struck by projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz, with the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree catching fire and suffering engine-room damage. 

Precious Shipping said 20 crew members were evacuated safely to Oman, while three were reported missing and believed trapped in the engine room as firefighting and damage-control efforts continued. 

Maritime security sources also reported minor hull damage to the Japan-flagged container ship ONE Majesty and another vessel, underscoring the rising risk to commercial traffic as attacks in the region mount. 

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