Iran Says It Captured US Underwater Drone Near Strait of Hormuz (2026-09-09)

Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced on Tuesday that they had captured an American uncrewed submarine near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for global oil shipments. Iranian state media identified the vessel as a Dive-LD, a large autonomous underwater vehicle built by California-based defence firm Anduril.

The Revolutionary Guards Navy described the capture in a statement carried by Iranian state media, saying, "We trapped one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines of the terrorist American army at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. This submersible is equipped with the latest technologies."

In response, a Pentagon spokesperson said the underwater drone had "malfunctioned more than a day ago" while surveying regional waters in support of ongoing operations. The spokesperson added that the defective drone was an older model that did not collect sensitive data and carried no classified sonar or radar equipment.

The claims could not be independently verified, and the Pentagon did not directly address Iran's assertion of a capture. Anduril did not respond to requests for comment.

The Dive-LD, about 19 feet long, is designed for missions including mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, intelligence gathering, and inspection of underwater infrastructure such as cables and pipelines. According to Anduril's website, the submersible can operate for up to 10 days without returning to base and can dive to depths of up to 6,000 metres. Each unit costs roughly $2.5 million.

The incident highlights the growing use of unmanned naval systems by the US military, which is investing heavily in such technology to monitor vast ocean areas and track adversary vessels while reducing risks to sailors.