Iran claims seizure of US underwater drone at Strait of Hormuz, US says it malfunctioned

Iran has claimed that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps captured an unmanned American underwater vessel near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States said one of its underwater drones had malfunctioned during operations in regional waters.

The IRGC said its naval forces seized what it described as an advanced unmanned US submersible during a “complex intelligence and operational action”. Iranian state media released videos and images purportedly showing the underwater vehicle and its interception.

However, the United States disputed Iran's description of the incident. US Central Command said an underwater drone operated by American forces had malfunctioned more than a day earlier while surveying regional waters in support of ongoing operations.

A US military spokesperson said the defective vehicle was an older model and did not carry classified equipment or sensitive sonar and radar systems. Washington did not immediately confirm whether the malfunctioning drone was the same device Iran claimed to have seized.

The videos released by Iranian media appeared to show an unmanned underwater vehicle resembling a Dive-LD model, but the location and date of the footage could not be independently verified.

The development came amid escalating military tensions between Iran and the United States in and around the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, Iran said its air defence forces had shot down a US MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities said the drone was detected and targeted using an advanced air defence system operating under the country's integrated defence network. The US had not immediately confirmed the reported downing.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards also claimed to have attacked 10 vessels in what it described as a prohibited and unsafe area of the Strait of Hormuz, including two US vessels and eight oil tankers.

The Iranian claims followed US military strikes on five Iranian crude oil carriers. US Central Command said the action was taken after the IRGC allegedly targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles on two occasions over the previous two days.

Iran later claimed to have launched ballistic missiles towards a US military base near Al Azraq in Jordan. Iranian media said the attack caused significant damage, while Jordan said its air defence systems intercepted most of the missiles and that there were no casualties.

The latest incidents highlight the growing confrontation between Washington and Tehran over military activity and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway through which a significant share of the world's oil trade passes.

As tensions continue to rise, both Iran and the United States have exchanged conflicting accounts of military incidents in the region, while the broader conflict has added further pressure to global energy markets and regional security.