Washington DC - The US used one-way attack sea drones in combat for the first time to strike the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, the US military said on Monday.
Three US Corsair drones targeted "a submarine and ship maintenance facility" at the port on Sunday, marking "the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X.
The strikes – which highlight the growing role of drones in US combat operations – "degraded Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial shipping," CENTCOM said.
The military command's post included a video of sea drones exploding near two piers, sparking fires and sending smoke pouring into the air over the port.
Last month, the US military used a Corsair drone to assist with the rescue of two US Army aviators whose Apache attack helicopter was shot down by Iran.
The Corsair is made by Texas-based Saronic Technologies, which says the 24-foot, diesel-powered "autonomous surface vessel" can be launched at sea, allowing larger ships to deploy and retrieve it without returning to port.
The drone attacks come amid renewed fighting between Iran and the US, with Tehran's top negotiators insisting that the war would not end with Iran's surrender.