Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Thursday that its navy attacked a U.S. unmanned vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it had disrupted what it described as an “offensive mission” in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, including Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC said its naval forces targeted an American unmanned surface vessel operating in the Strait of Hormuz. The military claimed the operation neutralized the vessel’s mission but did not provide evidence or details about the extent of the damage.
The IRGC also alleged that the United States has recently deployed several unmanned naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz, describing the deployments as part of Washington’s military presence in the Gulf.
The latest claim follows another announcement by the IRGC earlier this week, when it said Iranian forces had seized a U.S. Navy unmanned underwater vehicle identified as “Dive-LD” in the Gulf.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), however, has disputed Iran’s account. CENTCOM said the unmanned vehicle experienced a technical malfunction while conducting operations in regional waters and denied that it had been captured during a military confrontation.
According to CENTCOM, the autonomous vessel was supporting ongoing maritime security operations and monitoring navigation in the Gulf when it lost functionality.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s busiest energy chokepoints, with roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption passing through the narrow waterway each day. Heightened military activity between Iran and the United States has intensified concerns over the security of commercial shipping and regional stability.
The exchange of competing claims comes amid months of heightened military tensions between Washington and Tehran, with both sides accusing each other of threatening navigation and security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
