There is something almost innately satisfying about watching video from the perspective of a brand-new kamikaze drone boat as it attacks and kills an Iranian target. I know this appeals to our most primal instincts — the ones we try to temper in our daily lives. But I also know how much murder, terrorism, and violence Iran has inflicted on the U.S. and the rest of the world over the past 47 years. And I know how much more dangerous the world would be if Iran got its filthy hands on a nuke.
On July 12, three Saronic Corsair “unmanned surface craft” (sea drones) attacked an Iranian port, taking out at least one Iranian submarine in the process, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOMM).
CENTCOM released video of the attacks on the X platform, stating that this was the first time “American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations.”
Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea… pic.twitter.com/bOM2kmgRxz
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 13, 2026
In the video, the sea drones attack the port in a straight line toward a pier reported to be located at Bandar Abbas, which is close to the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians mounted no defense against the surprise attack. According to reports, the submarine suspended above the water on a gantry appears to be a Ghadir-class midget submarine.
In its X post, CENTCOM stated:
Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations. Last night’s strikes degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping.
U.S. Naval Institute News (USNI News) reported that defense officials said the U.S. Navy did not oversee this operation, and it was not part of the existing U.S. 5th Fleet’s Combined Task Force 59, “which has overseen unmanned operations in the region.” This was a CENTCOM operation.
“The attack is the first reported operational use of a lethal U.S. surface drones following extensive use of the technology by both Ukrainian forces and the Houthis in Yemen,” USNI News reported.
The unmanned boats used in the attacks, Corsairs, are 24 feet in length, and they can only travel at a speed of 40 miles per hour (35 knots). They can carry a 1,000-pound payload, and they have a range of 1,000 nautical miles.
The Military Times reported that these attacks were part of a larger operation that included dozens of attacks on Iranian military targets on July 12. The Times reported that, according to Corsair, it "supports a variety of missions including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); surface surveillance; and logistics in both permissive and contested environments. Its embedded AI stack and open architecture allow rapid integration of sensors and autonomy software, making it a flexible platform for modern naval and defense applications.”
The attacks on some of Iran’s most valued and most vulnerable targets are tied to the end to the ceasefire that had previously been declared by the Trump administration and Iran.
I'm not sure about you, but when America attacked Iran, I wasn’t looking forward to the likely escalation that’s now happening, though not in the way the Trump administration’s critics predicted. At the same time, Trump’s declaration that Iran will not get a nuclear warfare capability is one I support without hesitation.
What that now means, at least to me, is that if you’re going to start something, then finish it — the sooner, the better. Iran has proven that no matter how many regimes the Trump administration takes out (I think the current one is the third-string JV team at last count), none will ever keep their promises, and they will continue to wage a suicidal war on the U.S.
So be it. It’s time to use every tool in your arsenal, shy of a nuclear bomb and putting occupying troops in the country, à la George W. Bush, to achieve unconditional surrender. That kind of force seems to be the only language Iran understands.
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