TEHRAN, Iran: Iran targets US sea drone operations in the Strait of Hormuz, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying Thursday that its navy struck a Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel.
The IRGC said in a statement carried by Sepah News that the vessel was operating in the strategic waterway. It identified the craft as a Saildrone Explorer-type unmanned surface vessel.
Tasnim News Agency published an image that it said showed the Saildrone on fire after the attack. However, the U.S. military had not immediately confirmed the strike or the extent of any damage.
The IRGC said the vessel was operated by the Bahrain-based U.S. Fifth Fleet. Washington has previously used Saildrone Explorer vessels to collect data and imagery in Gulf waters.
The unmanned craft use solar and wind power and can remain deployed at sea for extended missions. Iran previously seized U.S. Saildrone vessels in 2022 before releasing them at Washington’s request.
Read: Iran Says It Seized Dive-LD US, Underwater Drone
Separately, Iran said Wednesday that it captured an unmanned U.S. underwater drone. The U.S. military said that vehicle had malfunctioned.
