US Attacks Iranian Port Using Sea Drones for the First Time

US forces used armed sea drones in combat for the first time, striking an Iranian naval facility at Bandar Abbas with three Corsair unmanned surface vessels. The attack is part of the Pentagon's expanding use of autonomous weapons in the campaign against Iran, with plans to spend tens of billions on autonomous platforms.

Bloomberg -- US forces used armed sea drones in combat for the first time, striking a submarine and ship maintenance facility at Iran's Bandar Abbas naval base on Sunday, the Pentagon said. Most Read from Bloomberg - Trump Says US Will Be Reimbursed 20% Rate for Hormuz Traffic https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-13/trump-says-us-will-be-reimbursed-20-rate-for-hormuz-traffic?utm campaign=bn&utm medium=distro&utm source=yahooUS - Trump Embraces Australian Retirement System Backed by Larry Fink https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-12/trump-embraces-australian-retirement-system-backed-by-larry-fink?utm campaign=bn&utm medium=distro&utm source=yahooUS - Hormuz Route Open Despite Iran Declaration, Maritime Group Says https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-12/hormuz-route-open-despite-iran-declaration-maritime-group-says?utm campaign=bn&utm medium=distro&utm source=yahooUS - OpenAI Engineer's 'LOL' Moment Set Stage for Legal Fight With Apple https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-11/openai-engineer-s-lol-moment-set-stage-for-legal-fight-with-apple?utm campaign=bn&utm medium=distro&utm source=yahooUS US Central Command said in a social media post that it struck the naval facility with three Corsair unmanned surface vessels, posting video footage of a drone moving across the water toward a dock and exploding upon impact. The attack is part of the Pentagon's expanding use of autonomous weapons in the campaign against Iran, which has also seen the US deploy one-way aerial attack drones modeled on Iran's deadly Shahed platform. The Trump administration plans to spend tens of billions on various types of autonomous platforms as modern war evolves. The Corsair is a 24-foot boat-like sea drone manufactured by Texas-based Saronic Technologies. The startup was founded by a former member of the elite Navy SEALs and was launched in September 2022. Saronic also builds a 180-foot autonomous surface vessel called Marauder, designed to transport large containers and payloads, at a Louisiana shipyard. The US Navy previously used a Corsair sea drone to rescue two downed crew members from a US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter that crashed off the coast of Oman in June, the first time an unmanned surface vessel had been used in such an operation. The use of one-way attack sea drones comes as the US renews hostilities against Iran and threatens to seize control over the Strait of Hormuz after Iran continued to attack commercial tankers. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek - Credit Card Holders Are Using 'Friendly Fraud' to Get Back at Retailers https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-13/credit-card-holders-are-using-friendly-fraud-to-get-back-at-retailers?utm campaign=bw&utm medium=distro&utm source=yahooUS - The Shattering of the Middle East's Most Unlikely Friendship https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-07-10/israel-palestine-conflict-shatters-unlikely-friendship-that-bridged-borders?utm campaign=bw&utm medium=distro&utm source=yahooUS ©2026 Bloomberg L.P.