Iran's Fast-Attack Boat Fleet Challenges US Naval Dominance in Strait of Hormuz

Iran operates a fleet of small, fast attack boats—termed a "mosquito fleet"—equipped with drones and missiles that operate in coordinated swarms throughout the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit routes. These vessels present an asymmetric military challenge to larger US Navy warships through speed, numbers, and low production cost, enabling disruption of shipping in a waterway through which roughly one-third of global maritime oil trade passes. The strategy shifts naval warfare doctrine away from traditional ship-versus-ship engagement. The development has direct implications for US military strategy in the Persian Gulf and global energy security.