TEHRAN, Iran — On September 10, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that it struck a U.S. unmanned surface vessel near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, identifying the vessel as a Saildrone Explorer with hull number 5838.
The claim was reported by Iranian media on September 10 and comes amid heightened maritime tensions between Iran and the United States around the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC Navy said the vessel was carrying out what it described as a hostile or aggressive mission when it was targeted.
Iranian media also published footage that it said showed the unmanned vessel. Reports said the vessel had earlier been seen by a local fisherman, with footage subsequently appearing on Iranian social media.
Iran’s IRGC released a video it says shows the moment its navy destroyed a U.S. Navy Saildrone USV, hull number 5838, in the Strait of Hormuz.
— Egypt's Intel Observer (@EGYOSINT) September 10, 2026
The IRGC said the waterway is under its control and warned that any “hostile presence” in the strategic strait would be targeted. pic.twitter.com/lXqUb4fbZj
The IRGC Navy did not publicly provide details about the weapon used, the exact circumstances of the strike or the extent of damage to the vessel. The U.S. military had not immediately confirmed the Iranian claim.
Saildrone Explorer identified as hull 5838
The vessel identified by Iran is a Saildrone Explorer, an approximately seven-meter-long autonomous surface vessel. The platform uses wind propulsion and carries solar-powered electronics, including cameras, communications equipment and sensors for maritime surveillance and maritime domain awareness.
Saildrone vessels have been used by the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and Task Force 59 in the Middle East. Task Force 59 is based in Bahrain and focuses on integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into naval operations.
Iranian reports said the Saildrone was being operated from the region near Oman’s Musandam Peninsula after U.S. naval facilities in Bahrain were reportedly taken out of service during the ongoing conflict. These claims were made by Iranian sources and have not been independently confirmed.
IRGC warning over Strait of Hormuz
IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri was quoted as saying that the U.S. unmanned vessel with hull number 5838 had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC Navy also said that the Strait of Hormuz was closed and under its intelligence surveillance and control, warning that hostile activity or a hostile presence would be targeted.
The claim comes as maritime traffic through the strait remains heavily reduced. Reuters reported that only seven vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on September 10, compared with a 10-day average of 15.
The U.S. Central Command has also reported that 96 commercial vessels had been rerouted to comply with restrictions since the naval blockade on Iran resumed on July 14.
Follows earlier U.S. underwater drone incident
The reported Saildrone incident follows another confrontation involving a U.S. unmanned system near the Strait of Hormuz.
On September 8, the IRGC said it had captured a U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle at the entrance to the strait. U.S. officials said the underwater drone had suffered a technical malfunction while surveying regional waters and described it as an older system without sensitive or classified equipment.
The latest claim therefore adds another reported confrontation involving U.S. unmanned maritime systems in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the status of Saildrone hull 5838 has not been independently confirmed by the U.S. military as of September 11.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and remains a major focus of the ongoing confrontation between Iran and the United States. The latest incident highlights the increasing use of unmanned surface and underwater systems for surveillance and maritime operations in the region.
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