IRGC Claims Capture of US Navy Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Near Strait of Hormuz; Pentagon Says It Had Already Malfunctioned

Iran's IRGC announced Tuesday evening it had captured a US military unmanned underwater vehicle at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz in what it called a 'complex intelligence and operational' action, identifying the craft as an Anduril Dive-LD — a roughly 6-meter, ~$2.5M autonomous submersible capable of mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, and infrastructure inspection, with up to 10 days' endurance and a 6,000m depth rating. A Pentagon spokesperson disputed Iran's narrative, saying the vehicle 'had malfunctioned a day ago' and was 'an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment.' Anduril confirmed the loss of one vessel but downplayed its significance, noting the Dive-LD 'is an attritable autonomous system, meaning it is designed from the outset to operate in dangerous environments where loss of the vehicle is an expected possibility.'