Naval drones armed with explosives have been implicated in at least two attacks on crude oil tankers in the Gulf region since open hostilities escalated among the United States, Israel and Iran, maritime authorities and industry analysts said. The incidents demonstrate a novel and potent maritime hazard in one of the world’s most important oil transit corridors.
In the first reported event, on March 1 the crude oil tanker MKD VYOM was struck about 44 nautical miles off Oman, an attack that Britain’s maritime agency said killed one crew member. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that an unmanned surface vessel hit the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker just above the waterline, producing an explosion and a fire in the engine room.
Days later, a second tanker, the Bahamas-flagged Sonangol Namibe, was struck while anchored near Khor al Zubair, Iraq, according to Sonangol Marine Services, the U.S. representative of the ship’s operator. The company said its 23 crew members were safe and declined to identify the type of vessel involved while an investigation continues.
Video circulating online shows a small, speedboat-shaped object racing into the side of a larger vessel and detonating on impact, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky. Two UK-based maritime specialists, Sidharth Kaushal of the Royal United Services Institute and Robert Peters of maritime security firm Ambrey, assessed the footage and said the object in the video appears to be a naval drone that exploded on impact.
Peters suggested Iran could be responsible for the strike on the Sonangol Namibe, citing Tehran’s previous public demonstrations of naval drone capabilities and the timing of the incident. He noted the attack occurred one day after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had fired on an American oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf and set it ablaze, with Iranian semi-official Mehr news agency reporting that "missiles" were used.
Iran has warned the international community to be prepared for oil at $200 a barrel as its forces engaged merchant ships and as vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz have slowed dramatically. Reuters was unable to independently verify responsibility for the two attacks, and the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
If Iran is confirmed to have directly employed naval drones against commercial shipping, Peters said it would mark the first known instance of the Islamic Republic using that method against civilian vessels. He noted that Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen have previously used drone boats against commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Marine experts emphasize that sea drones pose distinct tactical risks compared with aerial drones. Peters said unmanned surface vessels can carry larger explosive loads than aerial drones and can potentially approach and strike a ship at the waterline, where damage can immobilize a vessel. He contrasted that with aerial drones, which can cause casualties from above but may be less likely to render a ship immobile.
"If your ship is immobilized, if they want to follow up you are highly vulnerable," Peters said, describing the tactical implications for a vessel unable to maneuver after a hull strike. Those remarks underline how sea drones could be used not only to damage individual ships but also to create follow-on vulnerability if attackers choose to pursue additional actions against disabled vessels.
Section notes
- Confirmed incidents - Two attacks on crude tankers reported: MKD VYOM (off Oman) and Sonangol Namibe (near Khor al Zubair), with one fatality reported on the MKD VYOM.
- Type of weapon - Unmanned surface vessels carrying explosives are implicated; video evidence and expert assessment point to naval drones detonating on impact.
- Responsibility - No independent confirmation of the attacker; analysts point to Iran as a possible actor in at least one incident, and Iran has publicly signaled escalation in regional operations.
The emergence of explosive-laden naval drones in this theater has clear operational implications for commercial shipping, port authorities, mariners and insurers, and it presents a tactical problem that is different from the threats posed by airborne unmanned systems. As investigations continue, maritime operators will face decisions about routing, anchoring practices near key ports and broader risk management in a corridor that handles a substantial share of global oil shipments.