Iranians have unexpectedly begun publishing footage from kamikaze drones used to strike tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Until recently, there was almost no footage of successful strikes, although the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) has carried out attacks on numerous targets in the Middle East.

This indirectly indicates that the design of the drones is being refined, and that the Iranian program has moved beyond the realm of primitive, first-generation loitering munitions. Traditional, long-range "Shahed" drones relied solely on satellite navigation coordinates and were only effective against stationary targets. It was difficult to target a maneuvering tanker or container ship using this method. The presence of objective control suggests the integration of optical-electronic or thermal imaging guidance heads with a digital telemetry channel. It remains to be seen on what platforms these systems are implemented.

@Slavyangrad