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US Denies Iran Captured American Underwater Drone in Hormuz

US Denies Iran Captured American Underwater Drone in Hormuz
‘Clearly Desperate’: US Rejects Iran’s Claim Of Capturing American Underwater Drone In Hormuz · republicworld.com

Iran said it captured an American underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard claimed the drone was spying.

It said the capture used military intelligence and electronic warfare.

Iran first called the vehicle a REMUS 600.

It later identified it as a US military Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish.

The United States strongly rejected the claim.

A US military spokesman said all American unmanned systems were accounted for.

The two countries therefore gave conflicting accounts of what happened.

Key facts

US position
US Central Command said all operational American unmanned systems in the region were accounted for.
Iranian claim
The IRGC said its navy captured an advanced American unmanned underwater vehicle.
Initial Iranian identification
Iran initially identified the platform as a REMUS 600.
Later identification
The IRGC later said the vehicle was a US military Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish.
Reported method
Iran described the operation as coordinated and involving intelligence and electronic warfare.
Vehicle disposition
The IRGC said the vehicle was handed to military specialists to analyze and recover stored data.
Strait warning
The IRGC declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and warned against unauthorized maritime traffic.

Quotes

IRGC Navy

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval force

“With the help of God Almighty, the IRGC Navy soldiers, through a coordinated and complex operation with intelligence and electronic warfare, were able to trap an advanced UAV of the American terrorist army that was operating in the Strait of Hormuz for the purpose of espionage.”
republicworld.com
“This submersible is a type of intelligent and advanced submersible called the Remus 600, which was captured by the IRGC Navy and is now in the hands of the force's specialists to retrieve its information.”
republicworld.com

Sources

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