Missile "Lock-On" Deployment of Drones: Iran Releases Video of Expelling US Warships

On April 12, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran released a video stating that two U.S. Navy missile destroyers recently attempted to enter the Persian Gulf, and after being "locked on" by the Revolutionary Guard Navy, the U.S. vessels were forced to retreat. On the same day, U.S. President Trump also stated that "two U.S. ships successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz on April 11."

According to Iranian sources, when the two U.S. destroyers and accompanying vessels arrived at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, Iranian cruise missiles had completed "locking on," and attack drones were simultaneously deployed, giving the U.S. ships a 30-minute window to retreat. The two U.S. warships chose to retreat immediately, just "minutes away" from being completely destroyed.

Reports indicate that the U.S. vessels employed various deceptive tactics, including shutting down the ship's automatic identification system, impersonating "Omani merchant ships," and choosing to navigate along shallow coastal routes, but all were detected in advance by the Revolutionary Guard Navy on patrol.

Analysis suggests that the purpose of the U.S. warships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz is to "create false results" under the ceasefire situation and to exert influence on U.S.-Iran negotiations.

The U.S. Central Command had previously posted on social media that the U.S. destroyers "USS Frank E. Peterson" (DDG-121) and "USS Michael Murphy" (DDG-112) transited the Strait of Hormuz on April 11.