U.S. denies claims Iran struck two American vessels in retaliation for earlier strikes

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 10, 2026

The United States denied Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims of successfully attacking two U.S. Navy vessels in the Gulf, confirming that all American ships avoided damage amid escalating military exchanges. This series of confrontations, including U.S. strikes on Iranian-linked oil tankers and the capture of a malfunctioning U.S. underwater drone by Iran, intensifies tensions in a critical oil shipping route and underscores the increasing use of autonomous technology in regional conflicts.

The United States has rejected claims by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard that its forces successfully struck two American vessels, affirming that no U.S. Navy warship was hit during recent hostilities in the Gulf region. U.S. Central Command (Centcom) stated Wednesday that all attempts by the Iranian military to target American ships had failed.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard had announced it attacked two U.S. vessels along with eight oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the area as “forbidden and unsafe” for navigation. This action was reportedly in retaliation for the U.S. military’s destruction of five Iranian crude oil tankers on Tuesday. In response, Centcom highlighted that the targeted vessels belonged to a shadow network reputedly used to finance the Revolutionary Guard and that Iran lacks the capacity to defend them.

Tensions escalated after the Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles twice at an American warship over the past several days, according to Centcom. The targeted U.S. ship evaded the attacks successfully, and no U.S. personnel were reported wounded. The U.S. strikes destroyed four tankers in the Gulf of Oman—M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, and M/T Riesco—and one near Kharg Island, the M/T Derya. Before the strikes, American forces reportedly warned the crews to abandon the vessels, which were subsequently rendered inoperable.

The exchange of attacks has heightened volatility along a critical oil corridor, contributing to a surge in Brent crude prices to $100 a barrel on Wednesday. The confrontations represent a flare-up in hostilities even as the current U.S. administration emphasizes an economic strategy aimed at weakening Tehran.

In addition, the U.S. military addressed reports regarding an unmanned submersible Iran seized in the Strait of Hormuz. Captain Tim Hawkins of the U.S. Navy clarified that the underwater drone malfunctioned more than a day before it was taken and that it did not contain sensitive data or advanced classified equipment. The vessel was described as an older model used for regional surveillance operations.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard had earlier claimed to have captured a highly sophisticated autonomous submarine, which Iranian state media identified as a Dive-LD, developed by the U.S. defense contractor Anduril. Each unit of this type reportedly costs approximately $2.5 million. An Anduril spokesperson explained that the Dive-LD system is intentionally designed to operate in hazardous environments with an expectation that the vehicle may be lost in action. The autonomous drone has reportedly conducted thousands of operational hours in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

This incident highlights the growing role of autonomous technology in Middle Eastern military operations. Earlier this year, unmanned vessels were used for rescue operations and targeted strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, illustrating the increased reliance on such systems in the region’s ongoing conflicts.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the U.S. sanctions and military tactics as ineffective, describing them as repetitions of failed approaches aimed at pressuring Tehran.

The recent developments mark a continuation of exchanges between the U.S. and Iran, with both sides employing military actions while navigating broader strategic tensions in the Persian Gulf.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.