Iran claims capture of US unmanned underwater vessel near Strait of Hormuz
Iranian state media says the Revolutionary Guard captured a US unmanned underwater vessel near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran announced on Tuesday that its naval forces had captured a US military unmanned underwater vessel near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The claim was made by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and broadcast through Iranian state television, which released images of the purported capture.
The incident reportedly took place at dawn, though no further operational details were provided. The footage and still images released by Iranian media show what they describe as the seized American craft, but the visuals have not been independently verified.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, has long been a flashpoint in regional tensions. Iran has repeatedly used the waterway as leverage in its standoff with the United States, and securing safe passage through it has become a key objective for Washington.
US forces have been escorting commercial ships through the strait in recent months, aiming to shield them from potential Iranian missile and drone threats. The latest Iranian claim is likely to add to the friction in the region, though no immediate response from the US military has been reported.