Iran has claimed it captured a US unmanned submarine near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz after a complex intelligence operation, while the US military said one of its underwater drones had malfunctioned during a regional survey. The development came as tensions escalated in the Iran war, with Tehran also claiming it shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone and the US Central Command saying it destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers after attacks on a US warship. The Pentagon did not confirm whether the malfunctioning US drone was the one seized by Iran.
Footage released by Iranian media shows what the IRGC claims is an American Dive-LD unmanned submarine captured today. Iran says the vessel is now in its possession. pic.twitter.com/POWlEHHnd5
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 8, 2026
Iran war escalates with US underwater drone seizure claim
The Iranian Navy, in a statement carried by Sepah News, the official IRGC news outlet, identified the captured vehicle as a Dive-LD. Iran said the unmanned underwater vehicle uses the world’s most modern subsurface vehicle technology and released a video showing the captured craft. The IRGC separately claimed its air-defence systems shot down an MQ-9 Reaper over the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military acknowledged that an underwater drone had malfunctioned more than a day earlier while surveying regional waters in support of ongoing operations, but did not say whether it was the vehicle Iran displayed. A Pentagon spokesperson said, “It was surveying regional waters in support of ongoing operations. The defective drone was an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment.” The incident adds another major confrontation to the Iran war.
Iran war spotlight turns to Dive-LD’s deep-water capability
According to Anduril’s website, Dive-LD can operate for up to 10 days without returning to base and can dive as deep as 6,000 metres (19,700 feet). DefenseScoop reported in 2024 that each unit costs about $2.5 million. The US is investing heavily in unmanned underwater and surface systems to monitor large ocean areas, gather intelligence and track enemy ships and submarines without putting sailors at risk.
The Iran war has also seen direct attacks on maritime assets. CENTCOM said US troops destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard attacked a US warship. It said the US strikes came after two Iranian attempts over two days to hit the warship with ballistic missiles.
Iran war pressure grows as US targets airlines
Washington has widened its economic pressure alongside the military confrontation. The US Treasury placed 27 Iranian airlines on its Specially Designated Nationals List, targeting all remaining Iranian airlines. The department said, “Iran’s commercial airlines have long supported the Iranian regime’s destabilising activities,” alleging that the IRGC uses ostensibly private airlines to procure and transport weapons and ferry personnel.
The sanctions also target covert front companies, foreign intermediaries and deceptive transshipment routes used by Iran to obtain US-origin aircraft and sensitive technology. The US first sanctioned Mahan Air in October 2011 and targeted multiple companies described as its general sales agents on July 30.
Iran war defiance continues despite stalled diplomacy
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would continue resisting until the “aggressors” were brought to “complete regret”. He said Iran has always opposed war and believes regional security depends on avoiding warmongering. “However, just as it has courageously risen to defend against aggression up to this day, Iran will continue this resistance with strength until the aggressors are brought to complete regret and will remain the guardian of the rights of the great Iranian people,” he added.
The Iran war began with joint Israeli-US attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities on February 28, followed by Iranian missile and drone strikes on Israel and US bases and assets. Iran also tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. On June 18, the US and Iran signed an MoU on ending the war, with negotiations due within 60 days, a deadline that ended on August 17. The fate of those talks remains unclear amid the latest Iran war escalation.
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Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
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