US Campaign Targets Iran’s Naval Power as American Forces Sink Multiple Warships

US President Donald Trump has declared that crippling Iran’s naval strength is a primary goal of the ongoing American military offensive.

According to the US Central Command, American forces have already destroyed more than thirty Iranian naval vessels, including one warship that was struck by a torpedo fired from a US submarine in the Indian Ocean.

Although international discussions about Iran’s military capability have largely focused on its nuclear ambitions and missile arsenal, the United States and its regional partners have long viewed Tehran’s maritime forces as a major security concern.

Their concern stems from Iran’s ability to interfere with shipping routes and energy exports flowing out of the Persian Gulf.

During times of heightened confrontation in the past, Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz.

This narrow waterway between Iran and the United Arab Emirates is one of the most critical maritime chokepoints in the world, carrying nearly one-fifth of global oil shipments as well as substantial quantities of natural gas.

Structure of Iran’s Naval Forces

Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran reorganized its maritime military structure into two separate branches.

One arm is the conventional naval service of the Iranian state, formally known as the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, which operates traditional warships similar to those used by other countries.

Alongside it operates the naval division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an influential military organization that functions parallel to Iran’s regular armed forces.

This force specializes in operations within the Persian Gulf and along Iran’s coastal waters, relying heavily on fleets of smaller and highly manoeuvrable boats.

Size of the Fleet

Before the current conflict erupted, Iran’s conventional navy possessed a modest but capable fleet.

According to information compiled by the defence intelligence company Janes, it included three large submarines, eight frigates and two corvettes.

In addition, the fleet maintained around twenty-two small submarines designed specifically for manoeuvring in the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf.

The Revolutionary Guard’s naval wing, by contrast, relied primarily on hundreds of compact and high-speed vessels that could conduct swarm-style attacks or rapid harassment operations against larger ships.

Strategic Use of Sea Mines

One of the key pillars of Iran’s maritime strategy has been the ability to deploy naval mines in regional waters.

Assessments by the US Navy indicate that Iranian forces have developed the capability to plant mines using submarines as well as smaller vessels.

These weapons could potentially disrupt commercial shipping passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could significantly affect global energy markets.

A US intelligence review released last year warned that Iran had specifically invested in ships capable of laying mines along vital maritime routes.

Introduction of Drone Technology

In recent years, Iranian naval forces have also incorporated unmanned aerial systems into their operations.

Tehran developed specialized vessels capable of launching drones at sea, effectively creating mobile platforms for surveillance and attack missions.

These drone carrier ships were intended to expand Iran’s reach across the Gulf and nearby waters.

US Strikes on Iranian Fleet

American attacks against Iran’s maritime forces began almost immediately after US operations started. By Wednesday, more than twenty Iranian vessels had reportedly been destroyed, according to US Central Command.

Among the ships lost was the drone carrier Shahid Bagheri, which US officials say was sunk within hours of the beginning of the campaign. The command later announced that another Iranian drone-launching vessel had also been targeted.

Central Command reported that the destroyed fleet units included two corvettes and a frigate named IRIS Dena. The Dena was hit by a torpedo launched from a US submarine operating in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka.

Iranian Naval Presence Wiped Out in the Gulf

According to a US military infographic summarising the first 100 hours of the operation, by March 3, there were no Iranian warships remaining in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman.

However, the US military has not publicly released detailed information about all of the vessels that it says were eliminated during the strikes.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued warnings over the weekend advising ships to avoid sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Deadliest Strike at Sea

The sinking of the frigate Dena has been described as the most lethal American attack against Iran’s navy since the beginning of the conflict.

After the vessel was struck, it transmitted a distress signal. The Sri Lankan navy dispatched rescue ships to the scene and managed to pull 32 Iranian sailors from the water.

Sri Lankan authorities reported that at least 80 crew members died in the incident.

Iran’s foreign minister stated that approximately 130 sailors had been on board the frigate at the time of the strike and accused the United States of committing what he called “a horrific act at sea.” Earlier, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister had suggested the ship carried a crew of around 180 personnel.

Historic Naval Combat

The torpedo strike on the Dena also marked a rare moment in modern naval warfare. It represented the first confirmed instance since the end of World War II in which a US Navy submarine sank an enemy vessel using a torpedo during active combat.

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