Following the breakdown of a ceasefire between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the U.S., conflict between the two nations has heated up. Since July 7, the U.S. has launched airstrikes on hundreds of targets and sent unmanned drones to attack Iranian military sites and maintains that its 50,000 American troops in the region are “vigilant, lethal, and ready.” Iran has retaliated with strikes into Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan.
With no signs of an off-ramp to the hostilities, President Donald Trump told the nation in an address on July 16 that “we are likewise winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly.”
The Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) spoke with several experts about the newest phase of the Iranian conflict, what the use and interception of unmanned assets mean during the continued strikes, and the prospects for sustaining operations.
An Agreement Dissolves
A Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the U.S. was signed on June 17, extending a fragile ceasefire that the countries reached in May. After Iran began attacking maritime vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the MOU and ceasefire dissolved, with the U.S. first launching retaliatory strikes into Iran on July 7.
Since its initial strikes, the U.S. has hit hundreds of targets inside Iran, including missile and drone sites, air-defense systems, naval assets, coastal surveillance assets, radar sites, bridges, energy sites, and port infrastructure. Though most strikes occur in the evening hours, on July 15, the U.S. also reportedly conducted rare daytime strikes into Iranian territory.
On July 14, the U.S. reinstituted its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stopping all traffic attempting to use Iranian ports.
Further escalation could soon ensue. In the event that the U.S. attacks Iranian power sites, the Islamic Republic has reportedly ordered its Yemeni Houthi proxy forces to close off the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Corsair Rises to the Occasion – Again
Included in renewed U.S. attacks was a kamikaze strike on an Iranian submarine and ship maintenance facility. In footage of the attack shared by the Department of War’s (DOW) Digital Visual Information Distribution System (DVIDS), three unmanned Corsair surface vessels explode as they reach the Iranian docks. This marked the first use of surface drones in combat operations, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported via X.
The Corsair, manufactured by Saronic, can carry 1,000 pounds and travel 1,000 nautical miles. The vessel featured prominently in the rescue of two crew members from an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter downed by an Iranian drone in the coastal waters of Oman. The unmanned boat was able to locate the crew before transporting them to a location where they could be retrieved by helicopter.
SOAA board member, U.S. Space Force intelligence planner, and retired U.S. Navy SEAL Dr. Reynaldo Baviera* told SOAA that unmanned systems have proven a “vital war fighting tool, especially in modern asymmetric warfare” in that they have a lower operating cost, “extend operational reach deep within enemy and/or contested territory,” and “reduce and/or eliminate the risk to human life and loss to equipment,” which preserves public opinion.
Baviera explained that a kamikaze unmanned system like the Corsair can “change the margin of error” for hitting the designated coordinates. Because military personnel are able to “employ and deploy unmanned systems closer to their intended targets,” they have a lower profile and increased survivability against electronic defenses. Baviera said that unmanned systems also have “less fuel use and larger payload capacity” than alternative options for delivering ordnance.
A Claim from Iran
While the U.S. noted its drone success, Iranian state-run news agency IRNA claimed on X to have downed two Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones on July 13.
Reverse-engineered from the Iranian Shahed-136, the LUCAS system has been deployed in the Gulf since December 2025 and has been utilized in operations against Iran. Each LUCAS drone costs about $35,000 to manufacture.
Baviera said that if the IRNA’s claim were true, it would not “be necessarily significant” because the “loss of two drones would be absorbable, and again considered in the planning process.” Baviera also explained that the information gleaned from an attack on the LUCAS systems, including the locations of Iranian detection systems and Iran’s remaining engagement capabilities, could have been beneficial for U.S. forces.
Sustaining the Fight
Since the hot-and-cold conflict began on February 28, Iran has lost an estimated 1,800 to 7,650 service members while the U.S. has suffered the loss of 14 service members. With no end to the current operations in sight, there are signs of fatigue in the region.
This week, Israel informed the U.S. that no additional refueling aircraft could land at Ben Gurion Airport to enable unimpeded civilian flights. Israel had promised to host just 20 tankers at the airport, but more than 30 refueling aircraft were parked at Ben Gurion as of July 14.
Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Hasara is a KC-135 air refueling expert. He told SOAA that Israel’s reticence to host additional refueling tankers is not a sign of a strained alliance. Hasara explained that “the incredible amount of gas it takes to operate and sustain tanker operations is sometimes restricted by the base that you’re operating from.”
Hasara said that in addition to concerns about the available quantity of gas, bringing repeated military flights into the airport “slows down the international operations because you’re vying for the runways.” Ben Gurion Airport in particular has just three runways. Finally, Hasara said that the continued use of the civilian airport makes it “a very ripe target.”
Israeli officials have stated that they will maintain their prior agreement to host 20 tankers at Ben Gurion Airport, and that the remaining tankers will be moved to other Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bases.
Hasara, who was instrumental in refueling operations in the Gulf Wars, the early Global War on Terror including Operation Anaconda, and the Shock and Awe campaign in Baghdad, underscored that he believes the U.S. will have no trouble maintaining the amount of fuel required to continue its operations in perpetuity.
Baviera also believes that “the U.S. can certainly sustain military operations for an extended period of time.” He says that the limiting factor would be maintaining public support. “If diplomacy fails, then we can expect a prolonged and costly war, which in the court of public opinion could force lawmakers to reconsider our position,” Baviera explained.
*Baviera’s opinion is his own and does not in any way represent the DOW or USSF.
