Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has captured a US unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC Navy said it seized the underwater drone during an intelligence and operational mission at dawn on Tuesday. Iranian state media described the vehicle as an advanced autonomous US military system.
Iran Says Drone Was Captured Near Hormuz
According to the IRGC, Iranian naval forces tracked the vehicle before taking control of it near the strategic waterway.
The Guards said the unmanned system uses advanced underwater technology. They also said the US military received the vehicle in 2025.
Iranian media later identified the system as a Dive-LD, an autonomous underwater vehicle developed by US defense technology company Anduril Industries. The platform can support missions such as underwater surveillance, seabed mapping, infrastructure inspection and mine-related operations.
Iranian authorities also said they would release images and video of the captured vehicle.
US Gives Different Account
The US military has not described the incident as a successful Iranian capture.
A US Central Command spokesperson said an American underwater drone had malfunctioned more than a day earlier while surveying regional waters.
The US said the vehicle was an older model. It also said the drone did not collect sensitive information and did not carry classified sonar or radar equipment.
The contrasting accounts leave key details about how the vehicle came into Iranian possession unclear.
Strait of Hormuz Remains a Major Flashpoint
The incident comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high around the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic waterway is a major route for global energy shipments. Shipping traffic has already slowed as Iran has threatened retaliation against US actions in the region.
The latest incident could add further pressure to the already tense maritime situation.
For Iran, the reported seizure highlights its claim of greater control over waters around the strait. For the United States, the incident involves a disabled unmanned system that Washington says did not contain sensitive equipment.
More details are expected as Iran releases additional images or video of the vehicle.
