The US says a submarine drone “malfunctioned” before it fell into Iranian hands, adding that it was an older model and not being used for sensitive operations. Iran earlier celebrated its capture of an American unmanned underwater vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian state media publishing footage of the drone. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed to have “trapped one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines of the terrorist American army at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz”.
It comes as the US military destroyed five Iranian oil tankers – four in the Gulf of Oman and one near Kharg Island – in retaliation for repeated missile strikes on a Navy warship. No American personnel were harmed”, the US military said. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked several cities in Saudi Arabia, wounding at least 73 people and knocking operations at energy facilities offline, the Saudi-led coalition said on Tuesday in a further sign of the conflict spreading as diplomacy stalls.
The coalition vowed a firm response to the attacks. Anduril confirmed the loss of one of its vessels after a US submarine drone malfunctioned, 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.
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, gather intelligence and track adversary ships and submarines without putting sailors at risk. 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 as much as 6,000 metres (19,700 feet). Dive-LD units cost about $2.5 million each, U.S. military news site DefenseScoop reported in 2024.
Japan’s foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi has urged Iran to exercise “maximum restraint” over its continued attacks on vessels during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday. Motegi also expressed “deep concern” over renewed exchanges of attacks between the US and Iran and called on Tehran to show “maximum flexibility” to avoid prolonging the standoff with Washington, Mainichi reported. He also reportedly stressed the importance of restoring free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible, without vessels incurring additional costs.
The US has imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions on individuals and more than 30 entities, including several airlines. A notice posted on the treasury department’s website lists a number of commercial and private airlines targeted by the sanctions, including Iran’s Ava Airlines, Mehr Airways and Taban Air. Several foreign cargo service providers have also been sanctioned.
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