Europa Wire
Iranian forces claimed to have seized an American underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz, which the US military described as malfunctioning more than a day prior. US Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, stated the drone was surveilling regional waters when it malfunctioned over a day ago.
The submersible was described as defective and an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried classified sonar or radar equipment. Operations in the area continue. Earlier on Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have captured one of the most modern, unmanned, and advanced US submarines at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian TV.
The capture was described as a complex intelligence and operational action at dawn. Iran has maintained a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments, since the war began over six months ago. The US has imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports.
After a month of relative calm in August, tensions between Iran and the US have escalated, leading to renewed exchanges of fire and pushing global oil prices back up to levels last seen in July. President Trump has faced challenges in ending the unpopular war, which has resulted in the deaths of 18 US service members. Iranian authorities have previously cited thousands of deaths from US and Israeli strikes, figures corroborated by outside observers, including US-based monitoring groups.
Source: The Guardian
