Iran’s naval strategy in the Strait of Hormuz is once again demonstrating how smaller, unconventional forces can challenge the world’s most powerful navy. According to reporting by The Times UK, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has used fast attack craft, drone boats and coastal missile systems to disrupt shipping in the narrow Gulf waterway, highlighting a form of asymmetric warfare designed to offset U.S. military dominance.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically vital maritime routes in the world, carrying roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies. Recent attacks on commercial vessels and tankers have intensified tensions in the region and raised fears that the conflict could escalate further across the Middle East. Several ships have been struck or set ablaze, including the Thai cargo vessel Mayuree Naree, which caught fire after being hit while transiting the strait.
Despite heavy bombardment by U.S. and Israeli forces since the start of the current conflict, the IRGC has retained the ability to threaten maritime traffic. Rather than relying primarily on ballistic missiles or long-range drones, Iran has focused on smaller, more flexible systems such as explosive-laden drone boats, missile-equipped fast attack craft and sea-skimming cruise missiles launched from concealed positions along the coastline.
Military experts say this approach is rooted in lessons Iran learned during the tanker wars of the 1980s. During the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, both sides targeted oil shipping in the Gulf in an effort to weaken each other’s economies. More than 400 ships were attacked during that period, including 239 oil tankers, forcing major powers such as the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union to deploy naval forces to protect maritime trade.
Retired Royal Navy vice-admiral Duncan Potts, whose career included multiple deployments in the Gulf, said Iran adopted asymmetric tactics after recognizing the vulnerability of conventional naval forces against the United States. Instead of building large warships, Iran developed fleets of small, fast vessels capable of launching surprise attacks and quickly disappearing into coastal hideouts.
Potts said these small craft require minimal infrastructure and can operate from hidden bases along Iran’s shoreline. By rapidly appearing, carrying out an attack and retreating to cover, they can create significant disruption without exposing themselves to the full force of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers, destroyers and submarines.
The current U.S. campaign, known as Operation Epic Fury, has focused largely on weakening Iran’s strategic military capabilities, including ballistic missile sites and command-and-control facilities. U.S. officials have also reported destroying dozens of Iranian naval vessels. However, analysts say the most significant threat to shipping remains the IRGC’s unconventional fleet rather than its larger ships.
Security experts note that modern technology has further strengthened Iran’s approach. The widespread use of drones allows the IRGC to conduct precision attacks at relatively low cost, while naval mines remain a persistent hazard for commercial shipping. U.S. officials have confirmed that Iranian small boats have begun deploying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, adding another layer of danger for vessels attempting to pass through the narrow channel.
The impact of these tactics has been immediate. Before the latest escalation, an average of about 153 commercial ships passed through the strait each day. Since early March, however, maritime traffic has dramatically declined as the waterway has effectively become too dangerous for routine transit.
Kevin Rowlands, a specialist at the Royal United Services Institute and a former member of the Royal Navy’s Armilla patrol in the Gulf, said the situation resembles a form of maritime counter-insurgency rather than conventional naval warfare. Instead of facing large enemy fleets, U.S. forces must contend with dispersed threats such as small boats, drones and mines that can strike unexpectedly.
Rowlands suggested that eliminating these threats could require operations targeting coastal launch sites and drone facilities. However, he noted that such actions might involve amphibious raids or ground deployments, steps that Western governments may be reluctant to take.
For now, experts say the likely response will involve improved surveillance and intelligence sharing to help protect commercial vessels. Aircraft, drones and monitoring systems could be used to warn tankers about potential threats before they enter dangerous waters.
Analysts say the situation illustrates the enduring challenge posed by asymmetric naval warfare. Even with overwhelming technological superiority, the United States may struggle to completely neutralize Iran’s small, agile maritime forces operating in one of the world’s most strategically important chokepoints.
