“60 Drones, 27 Attack Boats, and Hidden Submarines: The 12 Minutes That Nearly Sank U.S. Warships in the Strait of Hormuz.lh

But the assault did not falter.

The remaining boats accelerated, weaving unpredictably to complicate targeting. Meanwhile, drones descended to roughly 50 meters above sea level, locking onto the heat signatures of U.S. ships. Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems—radar-guided 20mm Gatling guns—began firing at 4,500 rounds per minute. Streams of tracer fire carved luminous arcs through the darkness. UAVs exploded midair, shredded by tungsten rounds.

At eight kilometers, surviving Iranian boats launched their missiles.