2 min readUpdated: Sep 9, 2026 07:33 PM ISTIran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday it had captured a US uncrewed submarine at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz (IRIB/X)Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that it captured a US uncrewed underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, releasing images that it said showed the vessel after it was recovered.Tehran described the operation as an intelligence and military success and identified the vehicle as a Dive-LD, an autonomous underwater system made by US defence technology company Anduril, the Associated Press reported.Washington, however, has given a sharply different account. The Pentagon acknowledged that a US underwater drone had been lost but said it had malfunctioned more than a day earlier while surveying regional waters. The US said the vehicle was an older model and did not carry classified sonar or radar equipment or collect sensitive data. News agency Reuters reported that it could not independently verify Iran’s account.BREAKINGIranian Navy: One of the US military’s most advanced unmanned underwater vehicles was seized by Iranian armed forces at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz during a complex intelligence and field operation and brought into Iran. pic.twitter.com/zCl6a1ph0g— IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) September 8, 2026 The incident comes as the US-Iran conflict is escalating again around the Strait of Hormuz, with attacks on military assets and shipping threatening an already severely disrupted global energy route.On Wednesday, Iran said it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz, after the US destroyed five Iranian oil tankers. It was reportedly the biggest wave of tit-for-tat attacks on shipping by the two sides since the six-month-old war began.The latest attacks pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel for the first time since July, while preliminary data showed only six ships with transponders had crossed the strait in the preceding 24 hours.01What Iran says happenedThe IRGC Navy said its forces had “trapped” and captured what it described as one of the most modern unmanned submarines operated by the US military.Iranian state media identified the vessel as a Dive-LD and released photographs and video that purportedly showed the underwater vehicle after it had been brought ashore. Iranian officials portrayed the capture as the result of an intelligence and operational mission at the entrance to Hormuz.Iran has not publicly provided independent evidence establishing exactly how the vessel was located, disabled or recovered. Reuters has also cautioned that it could not independently verify the Iranian claims.02What US saidThe Pentagon's version is considerably less dramatic. A US Central Command spokesperson said the underwater drone had malfunctioned more than a day before Iran announced its capture. The spokesperson said the vehicle had been surveying regional waters in support of US operations but was a defective, older model. Washington said it neither collected sensitive data nor carried classified sonar or radar equipment. That distinction matters. If the US account is correct, Iran did not seize an operational American submarine during a confrontation; it recovered a disabled unmanned vehicle. The Pentagon did not directly address Iran's claim that its forces had captured the drone through an intelligence operation.03What is Dive-LD?The Dive-LD is a large autonomous underwater vehicle developed by Anduril, a California-based defence technology company. Unlike a conventional submarine, it carries no crew and can undertake underwater missions autonomously. Its possible applications include mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, intelligence and surveillance, inspection of underwater infrastructure Monitoring cables and pipelines. The vehicle is about 19 feet (5.8 metres) long. The system is part of a broader US push towards autonomous military platforms that can perform dangerous or repetitive missions without putting sailors directly in harm's way.04How capable is US underwater drone?The Dive-LD is designed for long-duration underwater operations. It can reportedly operate autonomously for up to 10 days and reach depths of around 6,000 metres.Its modular design allows different sensors and payloads to be fitted depending on the mission, making the platform useful for surveying the seabed, searching for mines and monitoring underwater infrastructure.That gives the system military value even though Washington says the particular vehicle recovered by Iran was an older model without sensitive equipment.05Why was the drone operating near Hormuz?The precise mission of the individual vehicle has not been disclosed. The Pentagon said only that it was surveying regional waters in support of ongoing operations.Its location is significant because the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the most contested areas of the US-Iran conflict. Underwater surveillance can be particularly important in such an environment. Militaries can use autonomous underwater vehicles to map the seabed, look for mines, monitor maritime activity and gather information about underwater infrastructure.This has become even more significant as the US and Iran battle over maritime access to the waterway.06Hormuz crisis deepens as Iran attacks shipsThe alleged drone capture comes amid a sharp new escalation around the strait. Iran said on Wednesday that its forces had fired on two US vessels and eight oil tankers attempting to cross an area of Hormuz that Tehran has declared off-limits. The British maritime security agency UKMTO separately received reports of several merchant ships being hit by disabling fire in the northern Gulf and Gulf of Oman.The US, meanwhile, said it had destroyed five Iranian oil tankers after Iranian forces targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles. Washington said the strikes were retaliation for the attacks on its vessel.Iran also said it had fired ballistic missiles at a US base in eastern Jordan. Jordan said its air defences intercepted 18 of 20 Iranian missiles, with no casualties reported.The escalation has sharply reduced shipping through Hormuz. Reuters reported that preliminary data showed just six ships with transponders crossing during the previous 24 hours.07Why is Strait of Hormuz so important?The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints. Before the current crisis, roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies moved through the waterway.Any prolonged disruption can affect:Crude oil pricesLPG suppliesLNG shipmentsShipping costsMarine insuranceGlobal inflationThe latest escalation has already pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel, with markets worried that further disruption could tighten global energy supplies.08Houthi attacks on Saudi ArabiaEscalating combat between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls the most populated parts of Yemen has created additional uncertainty for energy markets. A Saudi-backed government based in the south of Yemen has launched a multi-pronged assault on areas controlled by the Houthis, who have threatened Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.On Tuesday, the Houthis launched an attack on four cities in Saudi Arabia, causing huge fires at oil installations that were visible from space. Saudi authorities said 73 people were wounded. The Saudi Press Agency released footage showing homes severely damaged and injured patients in hospital. A source in Pakistan, which signed a mutual defence pact with Riyadh last month, said Saudi Arabia had carried out retaliatory strikes on Yemen. The Houthis say dozens of people have been killed in Saudi airstrikes, which Saudi Arabia has not confirmed.09The bigger US-Iran escalation around HormuzThe alleged capture comes at a particularly tense moment.The US has recently destroyed five Iranian oil tankers after Iranian forces attempted missile attacks on a US warship. Iran has responded with attacks on US-linked targets and shipping.On Wednesday, the IRGC threatened to sharply escalate its response to further US attacks. It said that if two or three Iranian targets were struck, Iran would respond by hitting 20. Tehran also said it would announce a larger maritime exclusion zone extending towards the Arabian Gulf off Chabahar, near Pakistan.The situation has been further complicated by the escalation between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. The Houthis attacked four Saudi cities on Tuesday, injuring 73 people, according to Saudi authorities.Together, the attacks point to a widening regional conflict involving military targets, commercial shipping and energy infrastructure.10Why India should careFor India, the location of the incident is particularly important. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for India's oil, LNG and LPG supplies. A prolonged disruption can therefore affect fuel availability, import costs and shipping expenses.India has already been forced to diversify its energy sourcing during the crisis. US LPG has emerged as a much larger source of India's cooking-gas imports as Indian buyers look beyond traditional Gulf suppliers.That means an incident involving an underwater drone may sound like a narrowly military development, but the wider conflict around Hormuz has a direct economic consequence for Indian consumers.The latest surge in oil prices makes that connection even more immediate. Brent has crossed $100 a barrel as shipping through Hormuz has fallen sharply.If tensions worsen and shipping through the strait falls further, India could face higher freight and energy costs — even if alternative suppliers continue to keep physical supplies moving.(With inputs from AP, Reuters)© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogIndia News Live Updates, 09 September 2026: Bengal CM vows to ‘uproot forces raising Kashmir slogans’ on Jadavpur campus23 minutes agoWorld News Today Live Updates: Iran claims strikes on 2 US vessels, 8 tankers, 10 ships in Gulf, Hormuz27 minutes agoApple Event September 2026 LIVE Updates: iPhone 18 Pro series, foldable iPhone set to take centre stage44 minutes agoWorld News Today Live Updates: Five Iranian crude oil carriers forces by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps14 hours agoIndia news Highlights, 7 September 2026: Around 380 middlemen arrested in Assam says CM Sarma1 day agoAdvertisement