The naval dimension of the Iran-Iraq War was defined by missiles—the French Exocet anti-ship missile deployed by Iraq and the Chinese-supplied Silkworm missiles deployed by Iran. These weapons transformed the Gulf into a contested zone where merchant ships became casualties of a state war.

The Exocet Advantage

Iraq's French-supplied Exocet missiles gave it a standoff capability that Iran initially lacked. Mounted on aircraft or patrol boats, the Exocet could strike targets dozens of miles away with deadly precision. Iranian ships had few defenses; most were merchant vessels with no combat capability whatsoever.

The Exocet was particularly effective because it flew low and fast, making it difficult for ships to detect and defend against. When an Exocet struck a vessel, the results were often catastrophic—fires, explosions, and rapid sinking. Between 1984 and 1987, Iraq used Exocets to sink or damage dozens of tankers bound for Iran or carrying Iranian cargo.

Iran's Silkworm Response

Iran responded by acquiring Chinese Silkworm missiles, a longer-range anti-ship system that could be deployed from coastal positions. The Silkworms were less sophisticated than Exocets but had greater range. Iran used them to threaten shipping in the central Gulf and to conduct occasional attacks on vessels supporting Iraq.

The presence of Silkworms changed the calculus for commercial shipping. Tanker captains now had to worry not just about Iraqi Exocet attacks but also about Iranian Silkworm attacks. Insurance premiums soared as the risk premium for transiting the Gulf climbed.

The Broader Naval War

Beyond the anti-ship missile exchanges, both sides used conventional naval vessels—frigates, patrol boats, and corvettes. Iraq had numerical disadvantage but better equipment. Iran had more ships but older vessels from the Shah's era. The result was a grinding naval war where both sides claimed victories and suffered losses.

The US Navy's intervention through Operation Earnest Will added another layer of complexity. American warships escorting Kuwaiti tankers occasionally engaged Iranian speedboats and aircraft. The presence of American naval power shifted the balance in Iraq's favor, though it also raised the risk of direct US-Iran confrontation.

Strategic Lessons

The missile war in the Gulf demonstrated that relatively inexpensive anti-ship missiles could impose enormous costs on maritime commerce. A single Exocet, costing perhaps $500,000, could damage or destroy a tanker worth millions and carry cargo worth tens of millions. This asymmetry—the high cost-exchange ratio favoring the attacker—would shape naval strategy for decades to come.