Iran unleashes 342 fast-attack boats in Strait of Hormuz, tightening grip on shipping lane
A swarm of more than 300 Iranian fast-attack boats was identified in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington continued.
According to maritime intelligence firm Windward AI, 342 boats were deployed across five monitored zones — a “step down from yesterday’s 454, but still elevated compared with the 27 to 230 range observed between May 4 and May 10,” the firm said in a post shared on X.
On May 11, a swarm of about 200 Iranian fast-attack boats brought the Strait of Hormuz to a virtual standstill, the firm said.
Windward also reported a heavy concentration of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) small craft inside the northern Hormuz Corridor, using “swarm-style formations” and “escort-like behavior” to disrupt commercial traffic.
“The swarm coincides with a total halt in commercial movement, with all large-hull vessels currently observed as stationary,” Windward said.
Iran also expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz into a “vast operational area” far wider than before the conflict, according to reports.
Citing Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political director of the IRGC Navy, the state-affiliated Fars News Agency reported May 12 that the strait is no longer viewed as a narrow stretch around a handful of islands.
Instead, it has been expanded in both scope and military significance, Akbarzadeh said, according to Reuters.
...note to Donald. 342 motorboats is just an afternoons work for a Warthog"
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