Iran claims capture of US underwater drone as maritime clash escalates
The Pentagon insists the lost Anduril Dive-LD drone was an older, defective model that carried no classified data.
What happened in the Strait of Hormuz?
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims to have captured a high-tech US unmanned submarine at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon, however, has dismissed the loss, describing the vessel as a "defective" older model carrying no sensitive or classified technology.
The dispute centres on a Dive-LD, a six-metre-long autonomous underwater vehicle built by Anduril Industries, a California-based defence firm, according to Al Jazeera. While Iranian state media celebrated the dawn capture of what it called "one of the most modern, intelligent, unmanned submarines," the US military painted a very different picture.
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins told CNBC that the drone had malfunctioned more than a day before the incident while surveying regional waters. He insisted that the craft was an older model that "neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment."
Anduril confirmed the loss but downplayed its significance. A company spokesperson told CNBC that the $2.5 million Dive-LD is designed to be "attritable"—meaning it is built to operate in high-risk zones where losing the vehicle is always a distinct possibility.
A wider battle on the water
The seizure of the drone comes amid a sharp escalation of tit-for-tat attacks in one of the world's most vital oil corridors.
On Tuesday, US Central Command announced it had destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers. That brings the total number of Iranian tankers destroyed by the US to 10 in a single week, according to CNBC. Washington said the strikes were retaliation after the Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles at American warships over two consecutive days.
Iran quickly claimed it struck back, asserting it had hit two American vessels and eight oil tankers that entered a "forbidden" zone in the Strait, as reported by CNBC.
The US military rejected that claim, saying no Navy warships had been hit and all Iranian attempts had failed. However, the anxiety over the escalating maritime conflict was enough to push Brent crude oil prices to $100 a barrel, CNBC reported.
What is the cost of the conflict?
The maritime clashes are the latest flashpoint in a war that began in late February when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, according to Al Jazeera.
That conflict has exacted a heavy toll. At least 18 US soldiers have been killed, and nearly 8,000 people have died in Iran and Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.
The financial and material strain on Washington is also mounting. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated in July that the war has already cost $37 billion, according to Al Jazeera. The US has also burned through its munitions, firing more Patriot missiles in the first four days of the war—each costing $4 million—than it sent to Ukraine over four years.
Key numbers
- $2.5 million
- $100 a barrel
- 10
- $37 billion
- 18
Questions readers are asking
What is the Dive-LD drone?
The Dive-LD is a six-metre-long autonomous underwater vehicle developed by defence contractor Anduril Industries. It is designed for long-duration underwater tasks, including surveillance, seabed mapping, and mine detection.
Did Iran obtain sensitive US intelligence from the drone?
The US military denies that any sensitive data was compromised. US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins stated that the vessel was an older, defective model carrying no classified sonar, radar, or intelligence-gathering equipment.
