IRGC says it downed a US MQ-9 drone over the eastern Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed an advanced United States MQ-9 drone over the eastern Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement issued by the IRGC's public relations office.

The statement said the drone was the 55th of its type to be downed. It said the aircraft was engaged by a new advanced air defense system belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force, operating within the framework of the country's integrated air defense network.

The IRGC did not provide further details in the statement, such as the exact time of the incident, the location beyond the eastern Strait of Hormuz, or the condition of the drone's wreckage. The US side has not publicly commented on the claim in the material available.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway through which a significant share of global oil shipments passes, and it has repeatedly been the scene of encounters involving US and Iranian military assets. The IRGC statement did not elaborate on the circumstances that led to the engagement or on any prior incidents involving the same air defense system.

The claim comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran over military activity in the region. The IRGC described the downing as part of its air defense operations under the national integrated network, without offering additional operational details.

According to Mehr News, the IRGC's public relations office announced the interception and destruction of the drone and stated that it was the 55th MQ-9 of its kind brought down.