The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced Sunday that the capture of an advanced US underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz is “an intelligence prize.”
“It’s not just a catch; it’s an intelligence prize,” said Spokesperson for the IRGC, Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi in a post on X.
“The Strait of Hormuz is not only open, but a hunting ground for the IRGC Navy targeting American submarines,” Brig. Gen. Mohebbi explained, as he shared an image of a drone which he identified as an Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish autonomous underwater vehicle.
He described the vehicle as an advanced autonomous system equipped with sonar and precision navigation and worth several million dollars, calling its seizure “a technological and intelligence prize.”
تنگه هرمز نه تنها باز نیست، بلکه شکارگاه نیروی دریایی سپاه برای زیرسطحیهای آمریکایی است؛ دومین شکار هم صید شد، اینبار Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish؛ یک AUV پیشرفته، خودمختار، مجهز به سونار و ناوبری دقیق و با ارزش چندمیلیوندلاری. فقط شکار نیست؛ غنیمت فناوری و اطلاعاتی است. pic.twitter.com/S47rAjjbP9
— سخنگوی سپاه (@Irgcspeaker) September 27, 2026
Brig. Gen. Mohebbi emphasized that the strategic waterway remains firmly under Tehran’s control and serves as a trap for foreign military assets.
According to an earlier statement from the IRGC Navy, the seizure was the result of a “coordinated, complex operation involving intelligence oversight and electronic warfare.”
The Iranian military confirmed that the US drone was operating in the Strait of Hormuz for espionage purposes and is currently in the hands of IRGC specialists for comprehensive data recovery and analysis.
2nd US underwater drone CAPTURED — IRGC Navy
— RT (@RT_com) September 27, 2026
REMUS 600 'operating in Strait of Hormuz', captured 'through coordinated and complex op'
Experts already 'working to retrieve its data' pic.twitter.com/nu47m6YEtP
The capture of the Kingfish represents a significant blow to US naval intelligence capabilities.
Designed for underwater reconnaissance and environmental mapping, these highly advanced autonomous vehicles cost millions of dollars.
By securing the drone intact, Iranian military specialists now have unprecedented access to its encrypted data, sensor arrays, and navigational algorithms, further bolstering Iran’s asymmetric warfare capabilities and reverse-engineering programs.
This marks the second time this month that the IRGC has successfully captured a US submarine drone in the vital waterway, which was crucial for global oil and gas trade before the outbreak of the US-Israeli war of aggression in late February.
Source: Al-Manar English Website