Washington, DC [US], September 16 (ANI): 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.
The military escalation unfolds as Washington endeavours to ensure safer passage for expanding commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz amid a backdrop of heightened bilateral tensions. An estimated daily average of 40 commercial vessels currently navigates the critical maritime corridor under direct protection and guidance from the United States military, an official informed Axios.
Approximately 14 million barrels of crude oil transit the vital global energy chokepoint daily. Furthermore, multiple tankers carrying liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas have traversed the passage over the preceding week.
United States naval vessels currently escort commercial tankers through the strait during daylight hours, marking a shift from previous nocturnal passage protocols, while military engineering units have widened mine-cleared sectors within the central shipping lane.
The confrontation coincides with a persistent diplomatic impasse between Washington and Tehran, characterised by Iranian resistance towards dialogue despite signals from United States President Donald Trump indicating willingness to negotiate.
Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, rebuffed Trump’s diplomatic overtures on Tuesday, issuing warnings regarding what he termed inconsistent messages originating from the American administration.
“Don’t get distracted by the U.S. president’s mixed signals — from ‘no negotiations’ to ‘we’re ready to talk’,” Rezaei declared via a post on X.
President Trump stated on Monday that he remained open to discussions with Tehran, shifting from earlier assertions that formulating a formal pact remained premature.
Tehran has persistently outlined strict prerequisites for concluding the ongoing war and lifting the blockade enforced across the Strait of Hormuz, demanding substantial war reparations alongside the complete termination of United States sanctions. (ANI)
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