Foreign Media: "Mosquito Fleet" Becomes Iran's Maritime Ace

Reference News Network reported on April 26 According to a report by Bloomberg News on April 23, U.S. President Trump stated on social media on the 23rd: "I have ordered the U.S. Navy to fire upon and sink any ships, even if they are just small boats." He claimed that these vessels were laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

The target of the strikes is Iran's so-called "mosquito fleet"—a fleet whose existence U.S. officials have been aware of for years. This is the latest indication that asymmetric warfare strategies are putting the world's most powerful navy in a difficult position. In this critical energy waterway, U.S. military aircraft and destroyers are forced to track groups of fast boats.

Trump's order also undermines the U.S. government's repeated claims that "the Iranian navy has been destroyed."

The size of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' small fleet is unknown. An assessment conducted by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency in 2019 indicated that there are hundreds of such vessels in the Persian Gulf region.

If this order is implemented, it could signal a change in operational actions and potentially jeopardize a ceasefire agreement that has been in place for more than two weeks. So far, the U.S. has relied on airstrikes to target land and sea objectives, minimizing the threats faced by U.S. forces. However, engaging in a cat-and-mouse chase at sea could lead to U.S. naval vessels becoming embroiled in crossfire.

William McRaven, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command and retired Navy Admiral, stated on CNN on the 22nd: "This is a card that the Iranians hold."

According to a report by Germany's Der Spiegel on April 23, Iran seems to believe it is in a favorable position in negotiations with the U.S., and it has good reason to think so.

Although militarily, the country may be inferior to the U.S. and Israel, as the conflict increasingly focuses on both sides' blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the balance of power is also becoming more equal. Iran only needs to utilize a small portion of its resources and remaining military strength to disrupt the global economy and apply pressure on Trump.

In recent days, both the U.S. and Iran have begun to use force to enforce the blockade. To this end, the U.S. has deployed a powerful fleet. According to reports from The Wall Street Journal citing U.S. officials, there are currently more than 15 U.S. warships deployed near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran does not possess capabilities comparable to the U.S., and its fleet has been severely damaged. In contrast, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has deployed a large number of small boats, known as the "mosquito fleet."

According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations office, a Panama-flagged container ship, the "MSC Francesca," was attacked by small boats on the 22nd while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

It is no secret that Iran possesses a large number of armed fast boats and unmanned vessels. One of the more advanced models is the "Salarje"-1. It is reported that this 15-meter-long fast boat can reach speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour. These types of fast boats do not belong to the navy but are commanded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Such situations were seen as early as the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, where merchant ships (like oil tankers) were helpless against attacks from small boats. Since then, using small boats for attacks has become an important part of Iran's military strategy.

Through the attack on the 22nd, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has demonstrated that at least a portion of its "mosquito fleet" remains intact. It is currently unclear how many of these vessels Iran had before the conflict. Different data suggests that hundreds or even thousands are possible. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy estimates that about 60% of them may still be combat-capable.

During the most intense phases of the war, the reason the fast boats were not destroyed was partly due to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' meticulous preparations. Iran has built underground facilities to store drones and small boats. Reconnaissance satellites find it difficult to identify these vessels. Additionally, Iran has a complex network of naval bases and small ports around the Strait of Hormuz. The infrastructure needed to operate these fast boats onshore is almost indistinguishable from fishing boat docks.

Therefore, the "mosquito fleet" still poses a threat to the U.S. Navy. So far, the U.S. Navy has chosen to intercept Iranian vessels beyond the range of these small boats, which may indicate the seriousness with which it regards this threat. Clearly, the U.S. is unwilling to risk allowing expensive and cumbersome destroyers and attack ships to become targets for cheap small boats and drones. (Translated by Yang Xuelai and Zhong Sirui)