The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed this Monday that, for the first time, it has employed naval drones against port facilities in Iran, as part of the offensive launched against the Islamic Republic amid escalating tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
"Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully attacked a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran," the military entity indicated in a statement specifying that it used "three Corsair unmanned surface vessels" that impacted the port at a naval base in Bandar Abbas, on the Iranian coast.
According to the US Army itself, this is the first time its forces have resorted to "maritime drones in combat operations," and it has stressed that these actions have "degraded" Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial maritime traffic that crosses this strategic waterway.
This Monday, in a new turn, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, declared the Strait of Hormuz "open," announcing that Washington will charge a 20% tax on all cargo transiting this passage, after emphasizing that it collects this tariff as the "guardian" of the strategic route.
In recent days, the area has become the scene of attacks from both sides between the United States and Iran, with a series of US bombings on Iranian territory that, according to the version disseminated by CENTCOM, respond to the previous offensive by the Revolutionary Guard against a Cypriot merchant ship that allegedly disregarded its orders while continuing its actions in this key commercial corridor.