Iran Claims Capture of U.S. Unmanned Submarine Near Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claims it has captured a U.S. unmanned submarine near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said its naval forces seized the unmanned underwater vessel during a complex intelligence and operational mission at dawn, describing it as one of the most advanced autonomous submarines operated by the U.S. military.
Iranian state media reported that the vessel is now in Iranian custody and that the IRGC plans to release images of the captured submarine.
The claim comes amid a sharp escalation between Tehran and Washington over control of the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran threatening restrictions on shipping and the United States maintaining efforts to keep international maritime traffic moving through the strategic waterway.
The United States has not publicly confirmed the alleged capture, and the claim has not been independently verified. Earlier Iranian claims involving U.S. unmanned vessels in the Strait have also been rejected by U.S. Central Command.
The situation remains highly fluid. The identity and status of the alleged vessel, as well as whether Iran has actually taken possession of a U.S. unmanned submarine, remain unconfirmed pending independent evidence or an official U.S. response.