IRGC says it downed 54th US MQ-9 drone over Strait of Hormuz

The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said its Aerospace Force air defenses intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 drone over the Strait of Hormuz early today, according to a statement carried by Mehr News Agency.

The Corps said the drone belonged to what it described as the terrorist US army and was brought down by fire from new advanced air defense systems operating within the country's integrated air defense network. The statement said the interception took place over the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a large share of global oil shipments passes.

According to the IRGC statement, the drone was the 54th MQ-9 destroyed. The announcement did not provide further details on the timing of the incident, the specific location within the strait, or the type of air defense system used. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the claim, and no comment from US officials was included in the report.

The MQ-9 is a remotely piloted aircraft used by the US military for surveillance and strike missions. The Strait of Hormuz has been the scene of repeated encounters between Iranian air defenses and US unmanned aircraft in recent years, and such incidents have at times raised tensions between Tehran and Washington.

The report by Mehr News Agency added that the IRGC characterized the downing as part of its air defense operations under the country's integrated network, without elaborating on the operational details.