Iran used underwater drones for the first time in the current conflict to attack two oil tankers of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a senior Iranian source. The attack occurred last night after the tankers refused to comply with Iranian navigation instructions. No casualties were reported, and the UAE blamed Iran for the strike.
According to a senior Iranian source cited by The Zioneer's monitored channels, Iran used underwater drones for the first time in the ongoing conflict to strike two oil tankers operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the Strait of Hormuz. The source said the attack occurred after the vessels refused to follow Iranian navigation instructions. No casualties have been reported, and the UAE formally blamed Tehran.
The strike marks a tactical escalation in Iran's maritime campaign against commercial shipping in the strategic waterway. While Iranian forces have previously employed missiles, drones, and warning shots against tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the use of underwater drones—unmanned submersibles capable of targeting vessels below the waterline—represents a new capability in this theater. As The Zioneer has reported, Iran has hit multiple Gulf state tankers in recent weeks, including an Emirati vessel on August 8.
The attack comes amid heightened regional tensions and continued Iranian assertions of control over the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global energy supplies.
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