Iran says it struck unmanned US vessel entering Strait of Hormuz

Cairo,UPDATED: Sep 6, 2026 14:06 IST

Iran said on Sunday it struck an unmanned US vessel that was trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, marking the latest escalation in renewed fighting between the two countries. The US did not immediately confirm the reported attack, which came a day after the US military said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to a missile attack on Navy warships.

The conflict began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. A ceasefire was announced in June, but intermittent fighting has continued since then as both sides have tried to impose military and economic costs after negotiations collapsed.

The US and Iran resumed attacks last week after about a month of relative calm, with the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian communities along it again being targeted. Earlier in the week, at least five people were killed in a US bombardment of southern Iran.

The Trump administration appears to have adopted a two-pronged approach, responding militarily to attacks on the strait while also targeting foreign financial institutions that handle Iran's money. Tehran, however, has signalled that its new hard-line senior leadership is prepared to hold its ground after decades of sanctions. Iran has over the years found ways to get its oil to buyers despite sanctions and the US blockade, relying in part on a shadow fleet to transport its oil and ease growing economic pressure.

Iran's nuclear programme, which contributed to the outbreak of the war, was expected to be addressed in negotiations that broke down soon after the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June. Diplomats say the US, Britain, France and Germany want to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for failing to comply with its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. For now, Tehran's main leverage lies in the Strait of Hormuz, a route critical for global oil and natural gas shipments that had been seen as an international waterway before the war began.

Overall, the reported strike on the unmanned US vessel points to a fresh flare-up around the Strait of Hormuz as the wider conflict continues to be driven by military action, economic pressure and stalled nuclear negotiations.

With PTI Inputs

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