Intelligence indicates that the Iranian regime is using its terror proxy groups to conduct attacks on ships operating in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical Persian Gulf shipping lane that has become the center of international tensions as Tehran seeks to foment instability in reaction to President Donald Trump’s efforts to strangle the hardline regime.
U.S. intelligence collected over the past month had indicated that Iran has been installing missiles on small vessels in the Gulf region. Tehran is relying on a large network of terror proxies and allies to attack not only commercial vessels in the region, but also U.S. military assets stationed there.
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“According to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), the IRGCN deploys ‘smaller, faster platforms equipped with sophisticated weaponry, ideally suited for its asymmetric doctrine,'” FDD stated in its brief. “Leading acquisition priorities for the IRGCN have included ‘fast attack craft, small boats, anti-ship cruise missiles, and mines.'”
In fact, “the IRGCN used these fast attack craft and small boats to harass U.S. Navy vessels,” a routine occurrence as of late in the Persian Gulf, according to FDD. “ONI assesses that the IRGCN believes it can prevail in the confined Gulf waters by using its weapons and systems ‘in unexpected ways to achieve tactical surprise,’ including so-called ‘swarm‘ attacks of small boats and anti-ship missiles, which could present tactical complications for the U.S. Navy.”
“Given Tehran’s long history of terrorism and harassment in the Gulf—as well as the regime’s recent threats and military exercises—Iran may escalate attacks on maritime traffic in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,” according to FDD. – READ MORE