Iran Seizes US Drone Near Hormuz Strait

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, that its naval forces had seized a United States unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC described the captured vessel as one of the most modern, unmanned, and smart submarines in the U.S. fleet, capable of extensive surveillance and mapping operations. In response, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the drone had malfunctioned more than a day earlier while surveying regional waters and was an older model that did not carry sensitive data or classified equipment. CENTCOM sought to downplay the incident, characterizing the drone as "dead in the water" and in a "commercially available configuration." The vehicle has been identified by Iranian media and defense analysts as an Anduril Industries Dive-LD, a torpedo-shaped autonomous underwater vehicle approximately 5.8 meters long and 1.2 meters wide, weighing around 2.7 tons. According to specifications, the drone can operate autonomously for up to 10 days and dive to depths of 6,000 meters. It entered service with the U.S.