Iran alleges attack on unmanned U.S. vessel in Hormuz, U.S. military refutes claim

Iran announced on Sunday that its forces struck an unmanned U.S. vessel that was trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command rejected the allegation, describing it as inaccurate.

The claim follows a U.S. strike on three Iranian oil tankers that was carried out after Navy warships were targeted with ballistic missiles. Analysts said the sequence of actions raised the risk of further escalation, noting that Iran’s earlier maritime attacks had focused on commercial shipping.

Hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed last week after a brief period of reduced fighting that followed a cease-fire announced in June. The renewed clashes have involved attacks on the Hormuz waterway and Iran’s southern coast, and have resulted in civilian casualties, including a school hit in earlier strikes.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNN that roughly nine million barrels of oil per day continue to flow through the strait, representing about two-thirds of pre-conflict volumes when combined with regional pipeline shipments. He said the flow depends on U.S. naval escorts and expressed confidence that other nations would eventually assist in protecting the shipping lane.

Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, which broke down after a June memorandum of understanding, remain stalled, contributing to the broader strategic tension in the region.