19:00 25-04-2026

Iran’s Response Threatens US Fleet in Strait of Hormuz

RusPhotoBank

Iran can target US naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz using drones, unmanned boats, and missile craft, according to military expert Yuri Knutov.

The order by US President Donald Trump to destroy Iranian vessels laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz has met an asymmetric response from Tehran. Military expert Yuri Knutov told aif.ru that Iran possesses not only traditional mines but also modern weapons capable of significantly complicating operations of the US carrier group in the Persian Gulf.

In his assessment, the main threat to the US Navy comes not so much from naval mines, which can be countered by minesweepers and surveillance, but from unmanned surface boats and underwater drones. These systems are capable of striking ships through direct impact or detonation, using acoustic targeting and operating at shallow depths for extended periods.

Knutov also pointed to Iran’s so-called «mosquito fleet» of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, consisting of small missile boats equipped with anti-ship missiles. Taken together, these assets can inflict serious damage not only on US warships but also on civilian vessels, including container ships, bulk carriers, and tankers.

He added that countering such systems is significantly more difficult than dealing with conventional mines and stressed that Iran has a wide range of tools to pressure the US Navy. According to him, Tehran is also capable of blocking the Strait of Hormuz for an extended period, provided it maintains its state structure and naval capabilities.