WASHINGTON D.C.: United States forces obliterated two Iranian small boats on Monday following an aggressive move by the vessels to seize an unmanned surface vehicle operated by the United States Navy while patrolling the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported.
The maritime confrontation occurred on Monday night within the waters of the Persian Gulf adjacent to the Iranian port city of Kargan, positioned close to Larak Island inside Hormozgan province. Local Iranian media outlets characterised the targeted vessels as fishing boats, disclosing that an unspecified number of fishermen remained unaccounted for following the strike.
Confirming the operation to Axios, a United States official stated that members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps utilised the boats in a concerted bid to hijack a naval drone deployed for surveillance across the vital waterway. United States Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins corroborated the foiled seizure attempt in an official statement.
“Iranian small boats recently attempted to take possession of a U.S. unmanned surface vessel, but they were unsuccessful after CENTCOM forcefully responded,” Hawkins stated.
“The surface drone remains under U.S. operational control,” he added.
According to the United States official referenced by Axios, an American aerial drone unleashed two missiles towards the watercraft upon detecting the seizure operation, obliterating both craft. The official confirmed that the resulting explosions eliminated the majority of individuals present on board.
Addressing the aftermath, Ahmad Nafisi, the Deputy Governor for security affairs in Hormozgan province, laid responsibility for the strike upon the United States military, confirming that numerous fishermen were missing as search-and-rescue teams scoured the sector, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency.
