The USS Winston S. Churchill: A Historic Retaliation in the Gulf

On February 20, 2026, at 12:07 local time, the USS Winston S. Churchill found itself in a battle for survival in the central Strait of Hormuz.

A Cater anti-ship cruise missile, launched from an Iranian Gadier-class submarine, struck the ship’s starboard side, causing catastrophic damage and resulting in the deaths of four sailors.

Captain Theodore Morrison, commanding the Churchill, faced a dire situation as fires erupted and critical systems failed.

However, instead of succumbing to chaos, Captain Morrison and his crew sprang into action, demonstrating remarkable resilience and decisiveness.

The missile strike occurred during routine patrol operations approximately 18 nautical miles from the Iranian coast.

The Cater missile, a domestically produced variant of a Chinese design, was capable of reaching speeds of Mach 0.85 and had a range of 200 kilometers.

What made this attack particularly alarming was the platform from which it was launched; the Gadier-class submarine was designed for stealthy operations in shallow waters, making it a formidable adversary.

The missile launched from just 14 nautical miles away, hidden behind a commercial tanker, which delayed its detection by the Churchill’s advanced radar systems.

Despite the initial chaos following the impact, Captain Morrison quickly ᴀssessed the situation.

He learned that the submarine had likely received support and targeting data from an Iranian shore facility, which was now a valid target for retaliation.

With the coordinates pinpointed, Captain Morrison made a bold decision to launch a counter-strike against the submarine control facility on Hormuz Island.

In a stunning display of military resolve, the Churchill launched four Tomahawk missiles, all while firefighting efforts continued aboard the ship.

This unprecedented speed in retaliation—23 minutes from impact to counterstrike—set a new standard in naval warfare.

As the Tomahawks flew toward their target, the situation aboard the Churchill remained critical.

Damage control teams worked tirelessly to contain the fires and prevent further catastrophic damage, even flooding the aft magazine to prevent an explosion.

The first Tomahawk struck the communications building of the control facility, collapsing it and burying personnel and equipment.

Subsequent strikes targeted the command bunker, ensuring that the facility that had coordinated the attack on the Churchill was rendered inoperative.

By 12:30, just 23 minutes after the missile impact, the retaliatory strike was complete.

But the U.S. response did not end there; it was expanded to include additional strikes against the Gadier submarine’s homeport at Bandar Abbas.

The coordinated attacks resulted in significant damage to Iranian submarine operations, destroying critical infrastructure and several submarines.

The USS Winston S. Churchill, despite its injuries, successfully navigated to Bahrain, demonstrating the crew’s dedication and professionalism in the face of adversity.

Captain Morrison remained on the bridge throughout the transit, ensuring that his ship and crew were stabilized and ready for further action.

The diplomatic fallout from the incident was swift, with Iran condemning the U.S. response while the United States provided evidence of the attack.

The engagement highlighted the emerging threat posed by submarine-launched anti-ship missiles, particularly from small, stealthy vessels like the Gadier.

Following this incident, the U.S. Navy updated its rules of engagement, allowing commanding officers to initiate retaliatory strikes immediately upon confirming hostile actions.

The legacy of the USS Winston S. Churchill and her crew would resonate throughout the fleet, serving as a reminder of the importance of speed and decisiveness in modern naval warfare.

As military doctrine evolved in response to this engagement, the message was clear: attack an American ship, and the response would come in minutes, not hours.

The incident exemplified the harsh realities of naval confrontations and underscored the necessity for constant vigilance in the face of emerging threats.

In the end, the USS Winston S. Churchill became a symbol of resilience and a testament to the unwavering spirit of the U.S. Navy, proving that even in the darkest moments, determination and courage can lead to victory.