Iran to use ‘kamikaze dolphins’ to attack US ships in Hormuz?

Washington: Amid continued concerns over Iranian mines disrupting the shipping in the strait, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth fielded questions on whether Tehran might turn to “dolphins” to confront the US Navy in the war in West Asia. The idea isn't very far-fetched, it seems, as several nations, including the US, have reportedly used “kamikaze dolphins” in conflict areas in the past — though not as weapons. 

Hegseth dismissed the idea, saying he could “confirm” Iran didn't have dolphins to deploy as part of operations but said he would neither “confirm nor deny” whether the US had kamikaze dolphins.

The idea was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on April 30, with an article claiming Iranian officials had said Iran could use “mine-carrying dolphins” to attack US warships. It is not clear whether Iran has that capability.

The US Navy has a decades-old programme to train dolphins to detect mines. The US Marine Mammal Programme is part of the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnais­sance Department within the Naval Information Warfare Centre Pacific. But the dolphins trained by the US are not kamikaze dolphins, meaning they do not sacrifice their lives to detonate mines. Instead, they're focused on detection. However, citing a source, CNN reported the US military isn't using dolphins as part of its efforts to reopen the strait. 

—Agencies