Flying School Buses Target Ships: How the US Dismantled Iran's Threat in Hormuz Strait

The Wall Street Journal reported that American officials stated Iran relied heavily on a arsenal of drones and large, slow-speed (subsonic) "cruise" missiles described as "flying school buses" to attack ships.

This comes as the United States confirms it has largely succeeded in undermining Iran's ability to detect and track ships in the "Hormuz" Strait, noting that 95% of navigation passes safely through the waterway, according to the newspaper.

The paper states that aboard the US aircraft carrier "George Washington" in the Arabian Sea - under cover of darkness, American fighters - armed with air-to-air missiles - launch from the deck, heading towards the "Hormuz" Strait; to intercept and shoot down Iranian "cruise" missiles and drones targeting commercial vessels.

Pilots of (F-35C) and (F/A-18) fighters coordinate with electronic warfare aircraft, airborne radar systems, and anti-submarine helicopters to form a protective umbrella over oil tankers crossing the waterway.

Near-daily missions to protect ships contributed to enabling America and its partners in the region to restore oil flow through the waterway, despite a series of Iranian attacks; which allowed Washington to maintain its position in an ongoing conflict since February, which had threatened global oil supplies, according to the newspaper.

The US military stated that it helped more than 3,000 commercial ships cross the strait during the past six months, enabling oil exports from the Persian Gulf region to exceed pre-war levels in recent weeks.

The newspaper noted that the War Department "Pentagon" is currently working to strengthen its presence in the region with more forces and ships, while President Donald Trump considers launching a new round of attacks against Iran, aiming to break the deadlock and force Tehran to surrender.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US forces in the Middle East, flew over the waterway last weekend, coinciding with the announcement by US Central Command of exporting 1.5 billion barrels of oil since summer.

The United States currently deploys 50,000 troops and 20 naval units across the Middle East, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates that this conflict costs the United States between $2 billion and $3 billion per month, amid the War Department "Pentagon" depleting munitions, jet fuel, and supplies necessary to support its operations.

Pilots and crew members told the newspaper that night missions over the Hormuz Strait can be "extremely intense," as the airspace above this narrow waterway - no more than 20 miles wide - is teeming with flying objects, giving pilots only a few seconds to respond to projectiles launched from the Iranian coast.

One pilot mentioned that his squadron achieves a 100% success rate in protecting ships when aircraft are in position and have the necessary ammunition to shoot down threats; although Iran sometimes fires at a number of ships exceeding what the United States can protect.

Admiral Jeffrey Hemes, commander of the carrier strike group, said: "If a threat is directed against those ships - whether an anti-ship guided missile or a drone - our aircraft will intervene to intercept and shoot it down very quickly. And we do this efficiently and reliably."

Some analysts believe that given the continued flow of oil through the strait, Trump should allow enough time for the blockade to weaken the Iranian regime, rather than seeking to end the conflict quickly through strikes that may not significantly change Tehran's calculations.