IRGC says it captured US underwater drone near Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said Tuesday it had captured an advanced unmanned U.S. underwater vessel near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, the latest provocation in a months-long naval standoff between Washington and Tehran that has rattled global energy markets.

The IRGC Navy said its forces "trapped one of the most modern smart and unmanned submarines of the terrorist US army" in what it described as "a complex intelligence and operational operation at dawn" on Tuesday, according to Iranian state media. Reuters confirmed the IRGC's claim. There was no immediate response from U.S. Central Command.devdiscourse+1

Escalating Tit-for-Tat

The seizure follows a rapid escalation in vessel-for-vessel reprisals between the two sides. On September 6, IRGC forces attacked a U.S. unmanned surface vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz. That same day, U.S. forces struck three Iranian crude oil tankers — the M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask — under a newly authorized "tanker for tanker" retaliatory policy, according to CNN and Forbes.presstv+3

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf responded with a warning on the social media platform X, telling Washington: "Strike our assets, and you get struck. We've already proven it". U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth countered that "Iran's oil tanker fleet is defenceless," adding that "Iran has no navy or air force".deccanchronicle

The Blockade's Toll

The confrontation is unfolding within the framework of a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, reimposed on July 14 at the direction of President Donald Trump. As of September 7, CENTCOM forces had redirected 94 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two to enforce the blockade, according to a CENTCOM statement. The blockade was first imposed in April and had already cost Iran an estimated $4.8 billion in oil revenue by May, according to the Department of Defense.centcom+2

Strait Under Strain

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flows, has been a flashpoint since Iran declared it closed earlier this year in response to U.S.-Israeli military strikes. The International Crisis Group has tracked the broader pattern of escalation, noting the mounting vessel-for-vessel reprisals between the two sides. Oil prices have been volatile amid fears that the conflict could further disrupt energy supplies, with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright emphasizing the Navy's role in escorting tankers through the waterway.gurufocus+3