American officials revealed that on Monday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps tried to seize a US naval drone patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, prompting US forces to destroy two Iranian small boats. This unusual incident underscores the ongoing direct confrontations with Iran as efforts to restore normal shipping order in the strait continue.

The US military did not initially publicize the strike, while Iranian media described it as a drone attack targeting "fishing vessels." Reports from Iranian outlets said two fishing boats were attacked near Larak Island, along the coast of Kargam Port in Hormozgan Province on Monday. The province's deputy governor for security affairs, Ahmad Nafisi, attributed the attack to US forces. The semi-official Mehr News Agency quoted Nafisi as saying an unspecified number of fishermen were missing and search-and-rescue operations were underway.

One US official stated that the Revolutionary Guard used boats in an attempt to capture a US naval drone deployed for patrols in the strait. After identifying the seizure attempt, a US drone fired two missiles at the vessels, destroying them and killing most of those aboard. US Central Command spokesman Colonel Tim Hawkins confirmed the failed takeover, saying, "Iranian small boats recently attempted to seize an American unmanned surface vessel, and Central Command responded forcefully, preventing them from succeeding." Hawkins added, "The unmanned surface vessel remains under US operational control."

This incident comes as the US works to protect the increasing volume of commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz, where oil shipments remain below pre-war levels. A US official noted that American forces and Gulf states have begun arranging for tankers to cross the strait during daylight hours, rather than only at night as has been the case in recent months.

Another US official indicated that Saudi Arabia has significantly boosted the number of tankers passing through the strait as tensions escalate in the Red Sea with Houthi forces. The US military has also expanded the mine-sweeping safety zone in the strait's main shipping channel. Currently, an average of 40 vessels transit the strait daily under US guidance and protection. According to a US official, approximately 14 million barrels of oil are exported through this waterway each day, and over the past week, multiple tankers carrying liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas have also passed through the strait.