Iran says it captured a U.S. underwater drone that U.S. officials called defective
Iran announced the seizure of a U.S. unmanned submersible in the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. military described the device as a malfunctioning, older model that did not carry sensitive equipment.
Iranian forces said they captured an American underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz, a claim that follows a U.S. statement that the vehicle had malfunctioned more than a day earlier.
U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said the submersible was conducting surveillance in regional waters when it failed and described it as a "defective" older model that "neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment." He added that U.S. operations in the area would continue.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the capture, calling the drone "one of the most modern, unmanned, and smart submarines" of the U.S. military and said images would be released in the coming hours.
Iran has maintained a blockade of the strait, which handles about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments, since the conflict began more than six months ago, while the United States has imposed its own restrictions on Iranian ports. Recent exchanges of fire between the two sides have pushed global oil prices to levels last seen in July.