CENTCOM punctures Iran’s latest Strait of Hormuz victory lap over ‘defective’ US submersible

WASHINGTON, DC: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it captured what it described as one of the United States’ most advanced unmanned underwater vehicles near the Strait of Hormuz, but US Central Command has disputed the significance of the incident.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said the American craft had malfunctioned more than a day earlier and was an older model that did not collect sensitive data or carry classified sonar or radar equipment.

The sharply different accounts emerged as tensions continued around one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

Iran touts capture of US craft

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced Tuesday, September 8, that its naval forces had captured an American unmanned submersible at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the IRGC described the vehicle as “one of the most modern, unmanned, and smart submarines” operated by the US military. 

The force said the craft had been equipped with advanced underwater technology and claimed it had entered service with the US fleet in 2025.

Iranian reports said the vehicle was capable of underwater reconnaissance and surveillance, seabed mapping, mine detection and inspecting submarine cables and pipelines.

The IRGC said images of the captured craft would be released.

The Iranian announcement came amid months of military and maritime tensions involving US and Iranian forces in and around the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for global energy shipments, making military incidents there closely watched beyond the region.

CENTCOM says craft had malfunctioned

CENTCOM offered a very different account of how the US vehicle ended up in Iranian hands.

Hawkins told the Guardian that the unmanned underwater craft had malfunctioned more than a day before Iran announced its capture.

He said the submersible had been surveying regional waters in support of ongoing US military operations.

According to Hawkins, the vehicle was “defective” and belonged to an older model.

He said it had neither collected sensitive information nor carried classified sonar or radar equipment.

The US military has not said what specific model of underwater vehicle was involved in the incident.

Hawkins also said American operations in the area were continuing.

The CENTCOM statement directly addressed the potential intelligence value of the craft, rejecting the idea that Iran had obtained sensitive US military equipment through the incident.

Iran's characterization of the vehicle as a newly delivered and highly advanced system has not been independently verified.

Why Hormuz incidents matter globally

The competing claims come as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has faced growing disruption during the conflict. 

Recent Reuters reporting showed commodity vessel traffic through the waterway had fallen sharply, while attacks and threats involving military and commercial vessels have increased risks for ships operating in the region.

Iran has also announced plans for new restrictions affecting maritime traffic, while the US has continued military operations around the strait.

CENTCOM says the vehicle was an older craft lost after a malfunction and contained no classified equipment. The two sides remain at odds over what Iran's forces actually obtained.