2nd US unmanned submersible captured in Hormuz Strait :Iran's IRGC

The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that its forces have captured another "advanced smart" unmanned submarine belonging to the U.S. Army in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), which was carrying out "espionage" activities in the Strait of Hormuz, was captured in a "coordinated and complex operation with intelligence dominance and electronic warfare".

It identified the AUV as the "REMUS 600", adding that it has been handed over to its specialists for data recovery.

The navy emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, "and we are taking decisive and incessant actions against dangerous movements and passage through unauthorized routes in the waterway".

Earlier this month, the IRGC announced having captured one of the U.S. Army's "most modern, smart" unmanned submarines at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz, identifying it as a "Dive-LD", according to Sepah News.

Following the capture, the U.S. Central Command said that the U.S. submarine drone had "malfunctioned" more than a day earlier and was conducting reconnaissance in the incident area at that time. The underwater drone was an old model, neither collecting sensitive data nor carrying any confidential sonar or radar equipment.

Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz on Feb 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

2nd US unmanned submersible captured in Hormuz Strait :Iran's IRGC

Flocks of crested ibises were spotted foraging in a rice field after the autumn harvest in Hanyin County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The crested ibis, with its iconic red crest and long black beak, is a first-class protected species in China and was formerly a critically endangered species. Rice fields after the autumn harvest serve as a haven for the birds, allowing them to consume a wealth of fallen grains and insects.

Conservation measures in Hanyin have paid off in recent years, providing a safe place for crested ibises to forage. These measures include fishing bans, water source protection, and the Lake Chief System, a governance model where local leaders take direct personal responsibility for management and protection of lakes.

Since the local forestry department first discovered crested ibises in 2010, the bird's population in the county has exceeded 130.

In the past, the crested ibis was widely distributed across East Asia and Russia's Siberia. It was thought to be extinct in China until seven wild birds were observed in Shaanxi's Yangxian County in 1981, a discovery that prompted captive breeding and enhanced protection of the species. As of the end of 2025, the global population of the crested ibis had exceeded 12,000.

Endangered crested ibises spotted foraging in Shaanxi rice field after autumn harvest