US denies Iranian video showing captured Saildrone USV in flames near Hormuz

A U.S. official refuted Iranian footage purportedly showing an American Saildrone unmanned surface vessel on fire near the Strait of Hormuz. The denial is unverified, and the incident, if real, would mark a significant escalation in maritime tensions. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global oil transit, and any threat to U.S. naval assets there could heighten regional instability.