US military destroys 2 Iranian boats: Report - Anadolu Ajansı

Iranian media said the US struck fishing boats near the port city of Kargan and Larak Island in Hormozgan province.

Deputy Governor for Security Affairs Ahmad Nafisi said an unspecified number of fishermen were missing as search-and-rescue operations continued, according to Mehr News Agency.

A US official said the IRGC was using the boats to capture a US unmanned surface vessel, when an American drone fired two missiles, destroying both boats and killing most people aboard.

US Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said: "Iranian small boats recently attempted to take possession of a US unmanned surface vessel, but they were unsuccessful after CENTCOM forcefully responded."

"The surface drone remains under US operational control," Hawkins said.

The incident comes as the US seeks to protect commercial traffic through the strait, where oil shipments remain below prewar levels.

US forces and Gulf countries have resumed daytime tanker transits, rather than relying solely on nighttime passages.

Around 40 ships now transit daily under US military guidance, while about 14 million barrels of oil pass through the waterway each day.

LNG and LPG tankers have also resumed crossings, according to the report.