IRGC Navy
Asymmetric Maritime Warfare
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) is a separate naval force from Iran's conventional Artesh Navy, operating in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz with a doctrine focused on asymmetric harassment, minelaying, fast-boat swarms, and drone/missile attacks.
- IRGCN assets: hundreds of fast attack craft, midget submarines, naval mines, shore-based anti-ship missiles (including the Noor/C-802 series), and armed UAVs (Shahed drones).
- Minelaying in narrow straits is particularly dangerous: the Hormuz shipping lane (3.2 km wide) is narrow enough that even modest mine deployment can deter commercial traffic.
- GPS jamming is another IRGCN tactic recorded in the 2026 campaign, disorienting commercial vessel navigation systems.
- Historical precedent: during the "Tanker War" of 1987-88 (Iran-Iraq War), Iran mined Gulf shipping lanes; the US then launched Operation Praying Mantis, destroying two Iranian oil platforms and multiple vessels.
- The 2026 attacks follow a pattern established during 2019-2021 when the IRGCN attacked multiple oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
● Tracked since March 13, 2026 · last seen April 18, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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