Iran seizes US underwater drone as Trump rejects Hormuz deal

Tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated on Sunday, 27 September, as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) announced the capture of a U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC identified the vessel as a Remus 600, claiming it was intercepted during an intelligence operation. The seizure follows President Donald Trump’s formal rejection of a proposed seven-day deal to reopen the strategic waterway. U.S. Rejects De-escalation Terms The rejected Iranian proposal required the United States to lift its naval blockade, release frozen assets, and waive sanctions on oil sales. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker described the offer as "half-measures" and "illusory deals," stating that Washington will maintain its economic pressure campaign. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that "Operation Economic Outcast" has secured cooperation from regional partners, including the UAE and Turkiye, to halt Iranian airline flights and banking transactions. Regional Conflict Intensifies Violence continued across multiple fronts on Sunday, 27 September. In Yemen, Houthi-aligned media reported that a Saudi airstrike on a marketplace in Taiz killed seven people and wounded 40 others. Simultaneously, Israel’s military confirmed air strikes in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah drone launch sites, despite a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire. In Saudi Arabia, authorities directed schools in Riyadh to suspend in-person classes for one week, shifting to…