Pentagon confirms first combat use of unmanned surface vessels targeting Iran’s Bandar Abbas naval facility.
The US military conducted its first combat operation using armed naval drones, striking a naval facility at Iran’s Bandar Abbas base on Sunday. The Pentagon described the attack as the inaugural deployment of unmanned surface vessels in active combat, marking a shift in naval warfare tactics.
No prior public record exists of the US employing armed sea drones in conflict, though unmanned systems have been tested extensively in recent years. The strike follows escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, where Iran has previously targeted commercial shipping and US naval assets.
Markets showed muted reaction to the development, with oil prices holding steady amid broader geopolitical concerns in the region.