U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Tuesday that an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) experienced a technical malfunction while operating in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz. The statement from Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins followed reports from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming that Iranian forces had seized the American drone.

There is a notable discrepancy regarding the nature of the event. While Iranian state-linked reports frame the incident as a seizure of U.S. technology, the U.S. military characterizes the event as an operational mishap involving a defective, older model. According to Capt. Hawkins, the drone was conducting surveillance in regional waters when it malfunctioned "more than a day ago."

Furthermore, the U.S. military has sought to downplay the strategic significance of the incident. Capt. Hawkins stated that the submersible was not carrying sensitive data, nor was it equipped with classified sonar or radar technology. While the U.S. acknowledges the loss of the drone, it maintains that operations in the area remain unaffected. The IRGC has not provided further details regarding the current status of the drone or their intent behind the reported seizure, beyond the initial claim of capture.