The US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed that the US military used armed drone boats (one-way) for the first time in a strike targeting an Iranian port, marking a new shift in the use of unmanned technology in the ongoing conflict in the region.

CENTCOM said in a statement that the attack, carried out two days ago, targeted a ship maintenance facility in Iran.

CENTCOM released a video showing drone boats colliding with what it said was an Iranian submarine that appeared to be out of service.

For its part, the manufacturer of the boats, Saronic Technologies, based in Texas, confirmed in a post on social media platforms that the boats used in the attack were of its Corsair model.

The company explained that this model is about 7.3 meters long, with a maximum speed of about 65 kilometers per hour, and an operational range exceeding 1,600 kilometers.

Although this is the first offensive strike of its kind by the US military using this weapon, Saronic Technologies noted that the same boat was previously used in June to rescue American pilots.

This development comes at a time when drone boats have become a critical element in modern warfare, as Ukraine relies heavily on them in its confrontation with Russia.

Kyiv is currently classified as one of the leading countries in this field, possessing about 24 different models of these boats.

According to a report published in February by the Carnegie Mellon Journal of Policy and Law, Ukrainian drone boats have succeeded in sinking or damaging 19 Russian warships over the past three years.