The US military confirmed that Iranian small boats recently attempted to seize an American unmanned surface vessel, but the effort was unsuccessful after US forces responded forcefully.
Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command (CENTCOM), said Iranian boats attempted to take possession of the US unmanned surface vessel but were unable to do so after CENTCOM intervened.
Hawkins added that the surface drone remains under US operational control.
Iran Reports Attack on Two Fishing Boats
The incident comes after Iranian state media reported on Monday that US forces had attacked two fishing boats.
It also follows Iran’s capture of another American unmanned underwater vehicle, an incident confirmed by both Anduril and the US Department of Defense.
Details of the Captured US Underwater Drone
The founder of Anduril said the Dive-LD underwater drone captured by Iran had been operating in Middle Eastern waters for several months.
He said the system was designed to operate in environments where the possibility of capture was anticipated and had provided “significant value” during its deployment.
Hawkins previously described the captured drone as “defective” and an older model, saying it neither collected sensitive data nor carried classified sonar or radar equipment.
The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with maritime operations and the use of unmanned systems becoming an increasingly important part of the confrontation in the region.
