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This screen grab taken from video footage released on September 8 by the Saudi-backed National Resistance Forces in Yemen shows a rocket being fired from a vehicle-based launcher in Yemen's western Taiz Province.
This screen grab taken from video footage released on September 8 by the Saudi-backed National Resistance Forces in Yemen shows a rocket being fired from a vehicle-based launcher in Yemen's western Taiz Province.

US Says Underwater Drone 'Malfunctioned' After Iran Claims Seizure Of Device

As the conflict in the Persian Gulf continues to impact and shape the region, journalists from RFE/RL's Central Newsroom and Iranian service, Radio Farda, deliver ongoing updates and analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • The US military's Central Command said on September 8 that one of its underwater drones had “malfunctioned” while surveying regional waters, after Iran claimed that it had seized the device in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Iranian media reported that a US strike hit a tanker near Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub.
  • Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen launched a new wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia on September 8, injuring 73 civilians, including women and children, according to Saudi authorities.
  • Iranian media have reported the killing of a local commander of the Basij militia in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan.
12:20 14.7.2026

US Military Says Naval Blockade Against Iran To Resume At 4 P.M. Eastern Time

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a naval blockade against all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports will be reinstated from 4 p.m. Eastern Time on July 14.

"CENTCOM forces will enforce the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas. The U.S. military continues to support traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade," CENTCOM said in a statement.

The move comes after President Donald Trump said on July 13 that US forces would become the "Guardian Angel" of the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has struck commercial vessels in recent days.

The UK maritime security agency UKMTO reported another tanker being struck by a missile while transiting the strait near Oman's coast on July 14.

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