Iranian fast-attack boats have struck 26 vessels since war began, US navy says they are among the hardest targets in the strait

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of the planet’s daily oil and gas trade through a channel barely 21 miles wide at its narrowest. Since late February 2026, when open conflict erupted between Iran and a U.S.-led coalition, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has turned to its fleet of small, high-speed craft to harass merchant traffic. American naval officers tracking the waterway describe these boats as among the toughest targets they face. They have documented 26 confirmed strikes on commercial vessels—attacks that range from warning shots across bows to direct hits that forced crews to abandon ship. The numbers reflect a deliberate campaign that larger warships and advanced missiles have struggled to shut down completely.

You watch the pattern unfold and see how geography favors the attacker. The strait’s confined waters, busy shipping lanes, and proximity to Iranian shores give these boats short dashes to their targets and quick routes back to cover. U.S. forces have sunk dozens of them, yet the fleet’s sheer size and low profile keep the pressure on.

The Tactics Behind the Strikes

Iranian crews operate in loose groups of eight to fifteen boats, each one a fiberglass hull packed with machine guns or rocket launchers. They approach from multiple angles, using the clutter of commercial traffic to mask their movements until the last moment. Once in range they fire short bursts or close in to board, then scatter before heavier firepower can concentrate.

You notice the method works because it forces defenders to choose between protecting the merchant ship and chasing every small contact. Radar struggles to sort the fast movers from fishing trawlers or oil-platform support craft. By the time a destroyer turns its guns or launches a helicopter, the attackers have often already slipped away into coastal shallows.

Why Size and Speed Matter Here

These craft measure under 50 feet and skim across the surface at speeds topping 50 knots. Their shallow draft lets them hug the Iranian coastline where deeper-draft warships hesitate to follow. Against satellites and patrol aircraft they present tiny radar signatures that blend into wave clutter or background traffic.

The Navy has learned the hard way that one or two hits from a 50-caliber gun or rocket can disable a bridge or start a fire on a tanker. You see the asymmetry at work: a billion-dollar destroyer must decide whether to risk its crew chasing a target worth a few hundred thousand dollars while dozens more lurk nearby.

The Human Toll on Merchant Crews

Seafarers transiting the strait now sail with armed guards and heightened vigilance after dark. Several of the 26 strikes left crews fighting fires or abandoning vessels under fire. Families back home have waited days for confirmation that loved ones survived a swarm attack near Bandar Abbas or the Omani side.

You read the incident logs and realize the psychological weight falls heaviest on civilian mariners. They carry no weapons, fly no flags of war, yet they have become the front line in a conflict they did not choose. Insurance rates have climbed, and some shipping lines reroute around Africa rather than risk the passage.

American Efforts to Contain the Threat

Destroyers and patrol aircraft now maintain near-constant presence, using drones and helicopters to hunt the boats before they can form up. Precision strikes have taken out staging areas and fuel caches on shore. Still, the Navy acknowledges that total elimination remains elusive because the boats launch from dozens of small coves and can be replaced faster than heavy ships.

You follow the briefings and sense the frustration. Commanders describe a cat-and-mouse game where every successful interdiction buys only hours of quiet. The goal has shifted from wiping out the fleet to keeping the shipping lanes open enough for oil to keep flowing.

What the Numbers Reveal About the Conflict

The 26 strikes span from early March through early May 2026, averaging roughly one every few days. Most involve tankers or bulk carriers carrying crude or refined products. The attacks have not stopped the flow entirely, but they have slowed it and raised costs for everyone moving energy through the region.

You step back and see the broader picture. Iran’s conventional navy lies largely at the bottom of the gulf after weeks of coalition strikes. What remains is this light, distributed force that turns the strait into a daily test of wills. The boats have not altered the war’s outcome, yet they continue to remind every passing ship that the waterway remains contested.