'Attempted to steal a sea drone': US military destroys two small Iranian boats

US military officials disclosed on Tuesday that they fired upon and destroyed two Iranian vessels attempting to seize a US unmanned surface vessel in waters off Iran, reigniting the ongoing conflict. Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, revealed that the Iranian boats "recently attempted to take possession of a US unmanned surface vessel" but were unsuccessful due to a "forceful military response".

According to Iranian state media, a pair of fishing boats were attacked in Hormozgan province on Iran's southern coast, resulting in several fishermen being reported missing. This marks another escalation in the six-month-long war, with both sides vying for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy shipping route. The conflict has driven up oil and petrol prices, causing political challenges for US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to Oman's foreign minister on Tuesday to address Oman's efforts to de-escalate tensions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf Arab nation's increased attacks, coupled with those from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, have disrupted Saudi Arabia's oil shipments, affecting global markets.

The US conflict with Iran has also incurred costs for the Pentagon, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating expenditures of over $38 billion through August 1, with potential monthly costs of up to $3 billion, depending on the intensity of the fighting. These expenses are expected to exacerbate inflation in the first quarter of next year.

Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed numerous US bases, aircraft, and drones in the Middle East, according to a Pentagon inspector general report. US Central Command utilizes Saildrones, autonomous eight-meter crafts that monitor maritime traffic, in the region. All of the command's surface drones are reported to be accounted for.

The US military has maintained that the technology on these drones is commercially available and not sensitive. A week prior, Iranian state television reported that Iranian forces captured one of the US military's underwater drones at the Strait of Hormuz's entrance, though US officials clarified that the drone was malfunctioning and not sensitive in nature.