Iran says it captured US submarine drone in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday its navy had captured a US uncrewed submarine at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

The claim offers a rare glimpse into how underwater drones are being used in military operations amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Has the US lost any drones in Iran?

The Pentagon confirmed a drone was lost, though it disputed Iran's framing of the incident. A spokesperson said an underwater drone had "malfunctioned more than a day ago" while surveying regional waters, and that it was an older model carrying no sensitive data or classified sonar and radar equipment.

Iranian state media identified the vessel as a Dive-LD, a large autonomous underwater vehicle built by California defence firm Anduril. The 19-foot (5.8-metre) submersible can carry out missions including mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, intelligence gathering and inspection of underwater infrastructure such as cables and pipelines, according to the company.

What did Iran say about the captured drone?

"We trapped one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines of the terrorist American army at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. This submersible is equipped with the latest technologies," the Revolutionary Guards Navy said in a statement carried by Iranian state media. The claim was widely repeated across Iranian and international outlets within hours.

Anduril confirmed the loss of one of its vessels but downplayed the significance of the incident. "Dive-LD is an attritable autonomous system, meaning it is designed from the outset to operate in dangerous environments where loss of the vehicle is an expected possibility," a company spokesperson said.

Why is the US military using underwater drones like Dive-LD?

The US military is investing heavily in unmanned naval systems, including underwater and surface vessels, as it seeks cheaper ways to monitor vast areas of ocean. These systems let the military gather intelligence and track adversary ships and submarines without putting sailors at risk. The push reflects a broader shift toward lower-cost, expendable technology in contested waters such as the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Anduril's website, Dive-LD can operate for up to 10 days without returning to base and is designed to dive to depths of up to 6,000 metres (19,700 feet). Dive-LD units cost about $2.5 million each, US military news site DefenseScoop reported in 2024.