US military footage shows its first-ever suicide boat drone strike on Iran

The US military utilized suicide drone boats for the first time in combat operations, striking Iran's Bandar Abbas naval base on July 12, 2026. US Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage showing three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hitting a submarine and ship maintenance facility, stating the strikes "degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping." The Corsair drones, manufactured by Saronic, are 24 feet long, can carry 1,000 pounds of payload, and have a range exceeding 1,000 nautical miles. This development follows Ukraine's successful use of explosive-laden speedboats against Russia's Black Fleet and previous instances of Iran and Hamas employing sea drones in attacks.