In a major development signaling the outbreak of open naval warfare, US forces have launched direct and devastating attacks on Iranian naval vessels in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on March 18, 2026.

American warships and carrier-based aircraft destroyed at least seven IRGC naval ships, including fast-attack missile boats, minelayers, and one mid-sized corvette, in coordinated strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. Dramatic footage released by the US Navy shows precision missile strikes and F-35C jets tearing through Iranian vessels, sending several to the bottom in fiery explosions.

The operation was a direct response to Iran’s repeated attacks on commercial tankers, the mining of the Strait of Hormuz, and the use of underwater drones and suicide boats against international shipping.

US Central Command was blunt:
“Iran’s aggression at sea will no longer be tolerated. We are now actively hunting and destroying IRGC naval ᴀssets to restore freedom of navigation. This is war at sea — and America will win it decisively.”

The dual-carrier strike group dominates.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford remain completely undamaged and fully operational, launching wave after wave of combat missions under Operation Epic Fury. Supported by B-52 bombers and advanced destroyers, American forces now control the maritime domain, while thousands of U.S. Marines stand ready for further action.

Iran’s navy, already crippled after the destruction of the Konarak Naval Base, is being systematically dismantled. Despite Mojtaba Khamenei’s recent propaganda about new “underwater missiles,” Iranian vessels continue to be sunk faster than they can be replaced.

This escalation marks a dangerous new phase. After weeks of Iranian missile barrages on Israel and Gulf cities, tanker attacks, and proxy ᴀssaults, the conflict has now fully expanded into open naval combat in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

Gulf nations have voiced strong support for the US action, calling it necessary to protect global energy routes and end Iran’s campaign of maritime terrorism.

The message from Washington is clear:
Every Iranian ship sent out to threaten international waters will be found and destroyed. The United States will not allow Tehran to turn the Persian Gulf into a battlefield without paying a catastrophic price.

War at sea has begun — and America holds overwhelming superiority.