Iran Attacked Three Ships at Once — A Coordinated Assault in the Persian Gulf

On March 2, 2026, the Central Persian Gulf became the stage for a dramatic confrontation that would test the resolve and capabilities of the US Navy.

At 14:17 local time, Iranian forces launched a coordinated missile attack against a formation of three American warships: the USS Wayne E. Meyer, the USS Antidum, and the USS Constellation.

This marked a significant escalation in the Gulf confrontation, as it was the first time Iran had targeted multiple ships simultaneously rather than isolating single vessels.

The three American warships were escorting a convoy of oil tankers through some of the most dangerous waters in the world when the attack commenced.

Iranian forces unleashed a total of eight missiles from four separate coastal batteries, aiming to overwhelm the American fleet.

The May 24th engagement would become the largest coordinated Iranian attack of the entire conflict, and the stakes were high.

The Iranian planners had learned from previous attacks that targeting single ships had resulted in devastating American counterstrikes.

Thus, they devised a new strategy: if each battery could achieve one hit, they could potentially disable multiple ships.

At 14:15, the four NOR missile batteries along the Iranian coast received simultaneous launch orders, and within a 12-second window, all eight missiles were launched toward their targets.

As the missiles approached, the surface action group’s radar detected the incoming salvo at 14:17:14.

Captain Jennifer Morrison, commanding the Antidum, had only 90 seconds to coordinate a defense against this unprecedented missile barrage.

“Antidum, weapons free on all inbound contacts. Meyer, engage bearings 045 through 060. Antidum, engage 060 through 075. Constellation, engage 075 through 090. Execute!” she commanded.

The three ships’ Aegis systems began coordinating, connecting their fire control computers to divide targets and maximize their defensive effectiveness.

At 14:17:22, the first SM-2 missiles were launched in response, with a total of 20 interceptors deployed against the eight incoming threats.

The math favored the defenders, and by 14:18:41, the first intercepts occurred.

The Meyer successfully destroyed two of the three missiles targeting her, while the Antidum managed to take out two of its three incoming threats as well.

However, the Constellation faced challenges; as a newer frigate, her combat systems were capable but less sophisticated than those of the Aegis destroyers and cruisers.

She managed to destroy one missile but sustained damage from a partially guided missile that continued its trajectory toward the ship.

At 14:18:54, the damaged missile struck the Constellation, creating a significant breach in the hull and resulting in a rapid influx of water.

Three sailors were killed in the explosion, and the ship began listing to starboard as damage control teams scrambled to respond.

Captain Morrison quickly assessed the situation and recognized an opportunity.

With all four Iranian missile batteries having revealed their positions, she ordered a counter-battery strike against the designated launch sites.

At 14:21, she transmitted formation-wide orders to engage the Iranian launch sites, initiating a coordinated counter-strike.

The Meyer launched six Tomahawks at 14:22:14, targeting the batteries that had attacked her.

The Antidum followed suit, launching eight Tomahawks at 14:22:31, while the damaged Constellation, still taking on water, launched four Tomahawks at 14:23:18.

Commander David Thompson, in charge of the Constellation, issued the order to fire from the damage control station, stating, “If we’re going down, we’re taking them with us.”

The response was swift and overwhelming.

At 14:25, Vice Admiral Richardson received a report detailing the coordinated attack and authorized strikes on all identified Iranian command infrastructure.

The target package included the four missile batteries, the coastal defense headquarters at Bandar Abbas, and the communications relay that had coordinated the missile salvo.

Additional assets joined the strike, with the USS Prebble launching eight Tomahawks at 14:31, targeting the coastal defense headquarters.

F/A-18F Super Hornets from the USS Enterprise were diverted to attack the ammunition depot at 14:33.

At 14:41, just 24 minutes after the initial attack began, the first American weapons struck their targets.

The four Iranian missile batteries were hit first, with multiple Tomahawks destroying the launchers, reload vehicles, and killing the crews.

The results were catastrophic for the Iranian forces: four missile batteries were completely destroyed, and the command post that had orchestrated the attack was obliterated.

At 14:52, the Super Hornets arrived at the ammunition depot, delivering devastating strikes that confirmed the destruction of large quantities of missiles and ammunition.

The coordinated response had effectively neutralized the Iranian threat.

Meanwhile, the Constellation stabilized as damage control teams contained the flooding and reduced the list to a manageable level.

The ship was hurt but not sinking, and Commander Thompson received confirmation that his vessel would survive.

The three American sailors who lost their lives in the attack were honored for their service, and their sacrifice helped enable the successful counter-strike that destroyed the Iranian network.

As the Constellation limped to Bahrain, escorted by the Meyer and Antidum, Captain Morrison received the Legion of Merit for her exceptional coordination during the engagement.

The May 24th incident illustrated several critical lessons: coordinated attacks could be effectively countered by coordinated defenses, even damaged ships could strike back, and attacking a formation led to greater retaliation.

The exchange rate was catastrophic for Iran, having fired eight missiles and achieved only one hit on an American ship while suffering the complete destruction of their missile capabilities.

In just 24 minutes, the Iranian command structure had been dismantled, demonstrating the consequences of attacking a well-coordinated naval formation.

This engagement served as a stark reminder of the resilience and power of the US Navy, reinforcing the notion that aggression would be met with overwhelming force.