In recent hours, satellite imagery has captured unusual Iranian naval activity in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. More than 40 fast attack boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been spotted in formation near Qeshm Island.

According to sources, the boats are moving in an organized formation. This show of force comes amid a ceasefire between the US and Iran, which, however, has not completely eased tensions in the region. The United States maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports, in response to which Tehran is seeking to assert control over the strategic waterway, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil supplies pass.

Satellite intelligence data refutes US President Donald Trump's claims that the Iranian navy was "completely and utterly destroyed" during the recent military conflict. On the contrary, the mobile flotilla of small boats—the so-called "mosquito fleet"—remains a key element of the IRGC's asymmetric strategy, allowing Iran to threaten shipping and launch swift strikes without the use of large warships.

Earlier, on April 30, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a directive establishing "new governance rules" in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC officially announced its control of 2000 kilometers of Iran's southern coastline, vowing to transform these waters into a "source of security and prosperity" for the region. Senior Iranian military officials also warned that American warships in the region would "share the fate of the US bases," which Tehran claims were seriously damaged in recent Iranian strikes.

Tensions persist despite the formal ceasefire. Since the US blockade began on April 13, commercial vessel traffic through the strait has dropped from approximately 3000 per month to just a few per day. Tehran, in turn, charges fees for "safe escort" for vessels passing through the strait, prompting the US Treasury Department to warn of sanctions against shipping companies that make such payments, including in cryptocurrency. Iran reportedly earns up to $20 million daily from this practice.