US Destroys Two Iranian Boats After Attempted Drone Seizure Near Hormuz

The U.S. military destroyed two Iranian small boats on September 14 after they attempted to seize an American unmanned surface vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. officials. The incident, which resulted in the deaths of most people on board the Iranian boats, marks a rare direct kinetic strike by U.S. forces in the ongoing maritime confrontation. U.S. Central Command confirmed the engagement, stating that Iranian boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps tried to take possession of a U.S. Navy drone. "Iranian small boats recently attempted to take possession of a U.S. unmanned surface vessel, but they were unsuccessful after CENTCOM forcefully responded," said Captain Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson. He added that the surface drone remained under U.S. operational control. A U.S. official reported that an American aerial drone fired two missiles at the Iranian boats after detecting the attempted seizure, destroying both vessels. The official stated that most of the individuals on board were killed in the explosions. The incident occurred near the Iranian port city of Kargan and Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.