New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- US denies Iran's claim that it struck an unmanned American vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz, calling the allegation a "total lie" amid rising tensions following a fresh exchange of attacks between Washington and Tehran.

The reported incident came a day after the US military said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for attacks on American Navy warships. Analysts described the escalation as particularly dangerous because previous Iranian attacks at sea had increasingly focused on commercial shipping.

The latest confrontation comes as the six-month US-Iran conflict continues despite a fragile ceasefire announced in June. Fighting has persisted intermittently, while diplomatic efforts ...