Decoding the Hormuz danger: How Iran’s ‘mosquito fleet’ is targeting oil tankers across the waterway

In their official statement, Tehran’s leadership maintained that Iran’s navy will continue to “guard” the Strait of Hormuz until the United States halts its naval blockade and allows for complete navigational freedom of vessels transporting to and from Iran.

The reversal was punctuated by a sharp warning from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who said that Iran’s navy is prepared to inflict ‘new bitter defeats’ on its enemies.  Following Khamenei’s warning, reports of several attacks on ships in Hormuz have appeared on tanker tracking websites. 

Data from global tanker tracking websites showed immediate distress; at least four tankers reported “suspicious approaches” by fast-moving craft. Notably, two Indian-flagged crude carriers, currently identified as the MT Desh Shanti and the MT Jag Lalit, were seen reversing course at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman to avoid entering the volatile zone.

As per shipping and international security experts interviewed by NYT, one of the key dangers for anyone passing through Hormuz right now remains Iran’s mosquito naval fleet that’s adept at targeting larger tankers and commercial vessels.

The ‘mosquito fleet’: Champions of asymmetric warfare at 115 MPH

As a lot of traditional Iranian warships have been largely neutralised by US and Israeli precision strikes, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has pivoted to its most potent “disruptive force”: the Mosquito Fleet.

According to a detailed investigative report by The New York Times, this fleet consists of hundreds of small, ultra-fast, and highly agile boats. Unlike the regular Iranian Navy, these craft are designed for hit-and-run harassment of larger vessels rather than sustained naval engagement.

Tactical Profile – IRGC Mosquito Fleet vs. Conventional Naval Assets

Inside IGRC’s attack routine: Caves, Drones, and Camouflage

The NYT report highlights that the threat is not just on the water, but integrated into the geography of the Persian Gulf. As per defence experts interviewed by the news agency, IRGC has spent years perfecting “coastal invisibility.”

As per the NYT report, IGRC’s infamous mosquito fleet utilises a network of camouflaged sea-caves and reinforced bunkers along the rugged Iranian coastline to plot surprise attacks at commercial vessels travelling through Hormuz.

These boats are reportedly often missed by surveillance satellites due to their small size, which further primes them for surprise operations where these boats suddenly jump into shipping lanes and attack tankers for 10-20 minutes before retreating into the cliffs.

The swarm tactic

Intelligence reports indicate that Iran uses “swarm” tactics, where 10 to 15 speedboats surround a single massive tanker. While a tanker’s security detail might fend off one or two craft, the sheer volume makes it impossible to track every threat.

Adding another layer of danger to their deployment, these boats act as mobile platforms. The New York Times notes that the Guards’ navy can launch missiles and “suicide” drones from these speedboats or from camouflaged sites onshore, effectively turning the narrowest point of the strait just 21 miles wide into a “kill zone.

Notably, the re-closure of the strait has sent shockwaves through the Industries that critically depend on Hormuz as a critical marine route. With the ‘mosquito’ threat escalating, insurance companies have reportedly hiked the ‘War Risk Premium’ for tankers transiting the Gulf has surged over the past hours.