Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps conducted a massive military exercise involving 100 warships in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that's crucial for regional connectivity and trade.
The drills were purportedly held to send a message to the US amid heightened tensions following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The Iranian ships are "small, fast, deadly, and designed specifically to present an asymmetrical threat to the toughest ships," and could "cripple" the US Navy through guerrilla tactics.
The recent Iranian war games are reminiscent of the infamous Millennium Challenge 2002, run by the erstwhile US Joint Forces Command. The red team, which was playing the enemy forces, used unexpected tactics and destroyed the blue team's navy.
Unhappy with the result, the blue team resurrected its forces and manipulated the outcome by cheating. The exercise is a case study on how a small, well-organised navy can defeat a much bigger and stronger adversary.
