Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says its naval forces attacked a US unmanned vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Tehran and Washington intensify.
TEHRAN: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday that its naval forces targeted a US unmanned surface vessel as it attempted to enter what Tehran described as a protected area of the Strait of Hormuz.
The claim, reported by Iranian state television, comes amid a sharp escalation in military tensions between Iran and the United States, with the two sides exchanging attacks in and around the strategic waterway.
According to the IRGC, the American remotely operated vessel was attempting to enter the protected area when it came under attack by Iranian naval forces. Iranian authorities did not provide details about the extent of any damage.
It was not immediately clear whether the US vessel was disabled, damaged or destroyed.
The claim follows a series of military exchanges in the region. On Saturday, the US military said its forces struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iranian forces launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships. The US said its vessels suffered no casualties.
Iran has also claimed attacks against American and US-linked vessels, although some of those claims have not been independently verified. The latest reported confrontation adds to concerns over the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has warned vessels against unauthorized movements.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is a critical route for global energy shipments. Rising military tensions in the area have already disrupted maritime traffic and heightened concerns over energy supplies and international shipping. Reuters reported this week that Iran had expanded a blacklist of vessels barred from passing through the strait to 56 ships.
The United States has previously used unmanned maritime systems in the region for surveillance and maritime operations. The latest Iranian claim comes as Washington and Tehran remain locked in an increasingly volatile confrontation.
With military activity continuing around the waterway, attention is focused on whether the reported attack on the US naval drone will prompt further retaliation.
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