Iran Deploys Midget Submarines To Take Down U.S Warships Deployed In The Gulf

Iran has deployed small submarines to guard the Strait of Hormuz as U.S-Iran talks, mediated by Pakistan, have failed, and it seems unlikely that both parties will reach an agreement soon.

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Iran has around 16 Ghadir-class midget submarines, crewed by 10 officers.

These subs can carry two torpedoes or two Chinese-designed C-704 anti-ship cruise missiles.

However, these are said to be noisy compared to modern submarines that are quieter. The crew is also reported to have limited experience, and they are suffering from maintenance issues.

Another difficulty in deploying them comes from the fact that Hormuz is just 100 m deep, and even the Persian Gulf is relatively shallow for submarine operations.

Ghadir are specially designed for the Gulf’s shallow waters, said an Iranian spokesperson.

Nonetheless, the submarines cannot hide for longer periods of time, as sonar can detect unnatural objects.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most crucial chokepoint, which handles 20% of all the world’s oil and gas, since the U.S and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb 28, 2026, starting the U.S-Iran war.

Tehran decided to deploy these submarines after U.S President Donald Trump told the media that he was considering reviving the plan of using American naval ships for escorting commercial vessels.

Meanwhile, Iran has made it clear that it would not give up control of the Hormuz Strait easily, despite the U.S naval blockade, which has shrunk its oil exports.

Till now, Tehran has exerted control over the strategic waterway using missiles, cheap drones and now the midget submarines, which will likely be used similarly.

None of Iran’s submarines has appeared during active combat, and only its full-size submarine, the Soviet-era Kilo-class boat, was sunk while it was moored at a pier.

Ghadirs are extremely small, displacing just 115 tons of water, while Kilos displace over 2000 tons, and the U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarines displace over 6000 tons.

Midget submarines are mainly used in coastal defence as they cannot go on longer missions and cannot go as deep as large submarines.

They were developed in Iran in the early 2000s and are copies of North Korean designs.

Though the U.S said that Iran’s Navy has been largely destroyed, small boats were seen attacking American ships in the Strait at least twice in the last week.

The U.S. military said that it defeated several attacks against Iranian naval ships, but commercial tanker traffic remains stalled in the Hormuz.