Multiple outlets report renewed discussion of an alleged Iranian capability to attack US warships in the Strait of Hormuz using “kamikaze” or mine-carrying dolphins. The idea is described as having first surfaced in a report by the Wall Street Journal on April 30, which said Iranian officials discussed the possibility of using mine-carrying dolphins to target US warships. France 24 says the topic was raised by a journalist during a Pentagon briefing, where US officials were asked whether Tehran could deploy such marine-mammal attacks. The reporting notes that the concept is not unprecedented in a broader military context, citing that multiple countries have historically experimented with using marine mammals for defense or offensive purposes.
Overall, the accounts describe the discussion as emerging from media reporting and questioning during official briefings, rather than a confirmed, publicly demonstrated capability. The idea is presented in the context of heightened US-Iran tensions around the Hormuz waterway, a key maritime route.
