Iran Claims to Have Seized Another US Underwater Drone in Strait of Hormuz, US Denies

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that it seized a US underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military, however, has denied the Iranian claim.

The IRGC Navy said the drone was seized during a coordinated operation involving intelligence gathering and electronic warfare. According to the force, the vessel was a Remus 600-class autonomous underwater vehicle used by the US Navy.

The seized underwater vehicle was reportedly handed over to Iranian military experts for further examination and data extraction, the IRGC said.

Iranian media reported that Remus 600-class underwater vehicles are used by the US Navy and the armed forces of several NATO countries. The vehicles can be equipped with various sensors, cameras and advanced sonar systems. They are used for seabed monitoring and mapping, detecting and removing underwater mines, as well as various inspection operations. The vehicles can operate at depths of up to 600 meters.

The United States has rejected Iran’s claim. Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, told Al Jazeera that US forces remain in control of all their active drones.

Iran has made claims of seizing a US underwater vehicle for the second time in recent days. On Tuesday, the IRGC said it had intercepted another autonomous underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iran, the earlier underwater vehicle was a Dive-LD, manufactured by US defense company Anduril. The United States has not publicly commented on that claim.

Meanwhile, Iran’s top army commander said the war was not yet over and that it had entered a “critical phase.”