IRGC claims downing of US drone over Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN — Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it shot down a US MQ-9 drone over the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements carried by Iranian state and semi-official media. The IRGC said the drone was intercepted and destroyed by a new advanced air defense system of its Aerospace Force, operating under the country's integrated air defense network. The drone went down in the eastern part of the strait, the IRGC stated.

The United States has not yet confirmed or denied the loss of the drone. The incident is the latest in a series of escalations between Tehran and Washington following a recent exchange of strikes.

Escalation and regional tensions

According to a source close to the matter, the reported shootdown came a day after US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. A US official said the launchers were being prepared by IRGC personnel to deploy rockets and sea mines into the strategic waterway.

In response, Iran launched ballistic missiles towards US forces at military bases in Jordan, as reported by Iranian and US officials. Jordan said its air defences intercepted eight missiles.

The IRGC also claimed its forces targeted Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates with drones, a claim that the UAE has disputed.

The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major flashpoint in the latest confrontation. The waterway is a critical route for global energy shipments, and renewed military activity has raised concerns about the safety of commercial shipping and oil supplies.