IRGC shoots down US-made MQ-9 drone over Hormozgan province

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced on Friday that its new advanced defense system intercepted and destroyed a US-made MQ-9 Reaper drone in the skies over Hormozgan province in southern Iran. The operation was carried out under the control of Iran's integrated air defense network, according to a brief statement from the IRGC Public Relations Department.

This incident comes a day after the Washington Post reported that the United States has lost 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones since launching its war of aggression against Iran. The report indicated that Iranian air defenses have brought down roughly a quarter of the US fleet, exposing the vulnerability of one of Washington's key surveillance and strike platforms. The losses could cost US taxpayers more than $1.3 billion, with each Reaper estimated to be worth between $30 million and $50 million, depending on its configuration.

At the start of the war on February 28, the US had approximately 185 Reapers, including 165 operated by the Air Force and 20 by the Marine Corps. Iranian air defenses accounted for a substantial share of the losses, highlighting the difficulty faced by the US military in protecting its costly drones while operating over Iranian territory. The attrition is particularly significant because the MQ-9 Reaper is a central component of US intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, as well as precision strikes. Its ability to operate without risking a pilot has made it a preferred platform for missions over heavily defended territory.

The latest round of US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28, prompting Tehran to launch daily missile and drone strikes against US and Israeli military targets in the region. The conflict continued until Tehran and Washington signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 17. According to Mehr News Agency (MNA), the IRGC statement confirmed the downing of the drone, adding that the operation was conducted under the integrated air defense network.