IRGC Navy says it seized an unmanned American submersible in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said in a statement issued before dawn on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 (17 Shahrivar 1405), that its forces had seized an American unmanned smart submersible at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. According to the statement, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad citing Mehr News Agency, the submersible uses some of the newest technology in its field and, according to the IRGC, was delivered to the US Navy in 2025. The IRGC said the vessel has been seized as a prize and that images would be released within hours. US officials have not commented on the claim, and no independent assessment of its technical details has been published. The announcement came on a day when tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of global oil supply, took on a new dimension, keeping elevated the geopolitical risk premium affecting Iran's currency and gold markets.