Iran Army Navy shoots down US MQ-1 drone off Sirik coast

Iran's Army Navy announced on Friday that it had shot down a US-made MQ-1 drone near Kouhestak, off the coast of Sirik in Hormozgan Province. According to a statement issued by the force, the drone was successfully tracked and engaged by a new air defense system operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Navy, working under the country's integrated air defense command network.

The statement described the downed aircraft as belonging to "the aggressor enemy" and said the operation was carried out after the drone was detected and tracked. It added that Iran would not hesitate for a moment in safeguarding and defending its territorial integrity, maritime borders, and national interests.

The incident took place in the waters off Sirik, a coastal area in Hormozgan Province in southern Iran. The statement did not provide further details on the type of the new naval air defense system used or the exact time of the engagement.

Iran has previously reported similar incidents involving foreign drones near its borders and coastal waters. The Army Navy's statement emphasized that the country's air defense network remains active and capable of responding to incursions.

According to Mehr News, the statement reiterated that the drone was destroyed after being successfully tracked and engaged by the new system, and that Iran remains committed to defending its maritime borders and national interests.