Iran says it seized US submarine drone in Hormuz

TEHRAN, Iran (MNTV) — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that its naval forces had seized an American unmanned underwater vessel near the entrance to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said the seizure followed a complex intelligence and military operation conducted at dawn, claiming the vessel was among the most advanced unmanned submarines operated by the US military. The claim was reported by Agence France-Presse and published by Arab News.

According to the Guards, the underwater drone was captured at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports normally travel.

Iranian state television carried an IRGC statement describing the vessel as a sophisticated unmanned submarine equipped with advanced underwater technology. The Guards said the system had been delivered to the US fleet in 2025.

Iran said it would release images of the captured vessel, potentially providing visual evidence to support its claim and details about the type of American equipment involved.

Iranian media reported that the unmanned underwater system is designed for a range of maritime missions, including underwater reconnaissance and surveillance, mapping the seabed, detecting mines and inspecting submarine communications cables and pipelines.

The alleged seizure comes amid an increasingly dangerous military confrontation between Tehran and Washington over the Strait of Hormuz, which has become a major flashpoint in the months-long Middle East war.

Iran has maintained a blockade of the strategic waterway since the outbreak of the conflict in late February, while the United States has imposed a counter-blockade targeting Iranian ports. The confrontation has created major risks for international shipping and energy markets.

The latest incident also follows an earlier confrontation involving an American unmanned naval vessel. On Sunday, the IRGC said it had attacked a US military unmanned surface vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz. The claim came after Iranian forces targeted oil tankers and other vessels amid escalating hostilities.

The competing military operations have transformed the waterway into one of the most closely watched maritime zones in the world. Any disruption to shipping through Hormuz could have significant consequences for global energy supplies because of the volume of oil and gas normally transported through the narrow passage.

Tehran has defended its control over the waterway while Washington has sought to challenge restrictions on maritime traffic. Iran has also said it intends to impose fees on vessels using the strait to finance services including environmental protection, a move strongly opposed by the United States.

The US has simultaneously maintained pressure on Iran through its naval blockade and military operations. Washington has said its measures are intended to counter Iranian restrictions on shipping and pressure Tehran during the wider conflict.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that continued American military action could trigger stronger retaliation. Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Sunday that Tehran would respond more rapidly and forcefully to further US attacks.

The reported capture of an American underwater drone would represent another escalation in the confrontation, particularly because such systems can provide intelligence on maritime activity without placing a crew at risk.

The claim could not immediately be independently verified, and no US confirmation of the alleged seizure was included in the Arab News report.

The incident nevertheless highlights the growing use of unmanned military technology in the confrontation and the increasingly contested nature of the Strait of Hormuz, where American and Iranian forces are operating in close proximity amid a wider regional war.