A fresh dispute has emerged between the United States and Iran over an alleged underwater drone seizure in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed it had captured a second US unmanned underwater vehicle during an operation in the strait. The United States has rejected the claim, saying all its operational drone assets remain under its control.
The competing claims came as tensions remain high around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments. The waterway has become a major flashpoint in the continuing US-Iran confrontation.
Iran claims second drone capture
The IRGC said its naval forces intercepted the underwater vehicle during what it described as a coordinated operation involving military intelligence and electronic warfare.
Iran initially identified the vehicle as a REMUS 600, an autonomous underwater system designed for missions including surveillance, seabed mapping and mine-countermeasure operations. Iranian officials said the vehicle had been handed over to specialists who would attempt to recover information stored inside it.
The IRGC later changed its identification, describing the vehicle as a Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish, an autonomous underwater vehicle used by the US military. IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi referred to it as the second such US underwater vehicle allegedly captured in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has alleged that the vehicle was conducting an espionage mission inside the strategic waterway. However, there has been no independent confirmation of the seizure or of the alleged surveillance activity.
Washington rejects Tehran’s claim
The US military has strongly disputed Iran’s account.
US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins told Al Jazeera that Washington maintains “positive control” of all its operational drone assets. He described the Iranian claim as “clearly desperate”.
The US position means Washington does not acknowledge that an operational American underwater drone has been captured by Iranian forces.
The disagreement also highlights the difficulty of independently verifying military claims made during the ongoing tensions. Iran has released material relating to the alleged seizure, but the available reports do not independently establish when or where the vehicle was captured.
Second underwater vehicle dispute
The latest claim follows another reported incident earlier this month.
On September 8, Iran said it had intercepted and captured another US unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities identified that system as a Dive-LD, an autonomous underwater vehicle developed by US defence technology company Anduril.
That earlier incident also produced conflicting accounts.
Iran described the vehicle as a sophisticated American unmanned system. The US military, however, said the drone had malfunctioned more than a day earlier while supporting operations in the region. A Pentagon spokesperson said it was an older system that did not carry sensitive data or classified sonar or radar equipment.
The latest claim therefore adds another layer to an already tense military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
Strait of Hormuz remains key flashpoint
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes. Any disruption to shipping through the narrow waterway can have wider implications for energy markets and international trade.
The IRGC has reiterated its position that the strait is closed and said it will continue acting against what it calls dangerous or unauthorised maritime movements.
Iran’s claims of capturing US underwater vehicles also underline the growing importance of unmanned maritime systems in the confrontation. Such vehicles can be used for intelligence gathering, seabed mapping, mine detection and monitoring underwater infrastructure.
The US-Iran dispute over the latest alleged drone seizure remains unresolved. Tehran says its forces captured an American underwater vehicle and are examining it, while Washington maintains that all operational US drones in the region remain accounted for.
With both sides offering sharply different versions of events, independent verification will be crucial in determining what happened in the Strait of Hormuz.