The United States and Iran continue their fight for the . The war in Iran, started on February 28 by the United States and Israel as a whole, has caused all eyes to focus on this point, where it is estimated that 20% of the world’s oil transits.
Iran, which has used the strait as a means of pressure and has been one of the key points for negotiationsdecided to close it initially, and then open it after reaching a ceasefire with the United States.
However, it did not last long, as the country again blocked ship transit after Israel continued bombing Lebanon after announcing that the territory was not included in the agreement. This not only raised tensions in the region again, but also sank the stock markets again (and made the international market tremble).
The blockade was suspended (again) after Israel and Lebanon announced a 10-day truce – which expires this Sunday. However, Iran once again announced a new blockade, after accusing the United States of failing to comply with the agreement and ensuring that Washington did not comply with what was agreed to reopen the maritime zone.
And, although it is true that the conventional Iranian Navy has been destroyed almost 90%, the Asian country still has what is known as the ‘mosquito fleet’, as well as other mechanisms (such as drones or mines), as the American president himself recalled, in a message published in Truth Social.
“The Iranian Navy lies at the bottom of the sea, completely destroyed: 158 ships. What we have not attacked is the small number of what they call fast attack ships,” criticized the Republican, who still considers that they are not “a great threat.”
Strait of Hormuz
What is the ‘moquito fleet’
Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz (or Schrödinger) is mainly based on what is known as ‘mosquito fleet’, which the Iranian Revolutionary Guard uses to continue maintaining power over the area. Its name comes from its strategy. These are a large number of small boats (between 14 and 17 meters in length) that have great speed and agility, designed precisely to display maritime control.
It is estimated, according to the newspaper ‘El País, that these boats can reach in some examples the speed of a torpedo, with between 40 and 70 knots (about 75 and 130 kilometers per hour) or even more than 110 knots (more than 200 kilometers per hour).
And, although it is true that There are other powers that have it (Russia)stand out for their great capacity to guard the Strait, 33 kilometers wide, going unnoticed. And one of their advantages, along with their ability to launch missiles and drones, is that due to their small size they are much more difficult to detect in satellite images.
In addition, they are usually tied in docks with deep caves or underground bases on rocky shores, making it even more difficult to see. Proof of this can be seen in the publication of ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter) shared by Iranian state television, where you can see an alleged secret underwater base.
The Iranian strategy is based on using boats as a kamikaze, as they are often remote-controlled and full of explosives and drones, so although they are not so useful for attacking boats, they do serve to “annoy” and, especially, to “dominate that entire region.”
According to Saeid Golkar, professor of political science at the University of Tennessee, “the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy functions more like a guerrilla force at sea” and uses a tactic based on “blitz attacks” instead of the old “big warship” tactics.
“In a narrow area like the Strait of Hormuz, this puts significant pressure on US naval forces,” adds the expert, who considers that Iran’s way of acting in this conflict is “focused on harassment, disorganization and increasing the cost of US operations, rather than trying to win a traditional battle.”
Its effectiveness can be verified in two main aspects. Firstly, in the vessels attacked and, secondly, in the insistence of the United States on opening the strait. It is estimated that to date the Revolutionary Guard has attacked about 20 boats, according to the International Maritime Agency, a United Nations agency.
In fact, this very Wednesday, They were attacked by this fleet and two of them had to return to the ports for having tried to transit without the permission of the Islamic Republic.
