Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has on Sunday, claimed that its naval forces captured an American unmanned underwater vehicle operating in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
According to Iranian state television, the IRGC said the operation was carried out through a coordinated mission involving intelligence surveillance and electronic warfare.
The Guards identified the captured vessel as a Remus 600 autonomous underwater vehicle, alleging that it was being used by the United States for intelligence-gathering activities in the waterway.
The IRGC said the drone had been taken into the custody of its specialists, who would examine the equipment and attempt to recover information stored on it.
The development marks the second reported seizure of a US submarine drone by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz this month.
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The strategic waterway, which serves as a major route for global oil and gas shipments, has faced severe disruption since the outbreak of the ongoing Middle East conflict in late February.
Iran has maintained a blockade of the strait since the conflict began, while the United States has imposed a counter-blockade targeting Iranian ports.
The competing restrictions have significantly affected commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.