Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone after detecting what it described as “hostile aircraft” violating Iranian airspace, Al-Jazeera reported citing a statement carried by Iranian state media.
The IRGC also said its forces fired at an RQ-4 drone and an “intruding” F-35 fighter jet, though it did not specify when the incidents occurred.
In the statement, the Guard warned that Iran reserves the “legitimate and definite” right to respond to any ceasefire violations by the United States.
The development comes amid heightened tensions following reports of US military action in southern Iran. US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins told Fox News that American forces conducted “self-defence” strikes to protect troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.
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“Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines,” Hawkins said, adding that US Central Command “continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
Earlier, Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that any renewed aggression against Iran would trigger a far more severe response extending beyond the region.
In comments carried by Iran's Fars news agency, Shekarchi said future Iranian retaliation would be “heavier and more violent” than previous attacks.
Separately, Iranian media reported explosions in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, though the semi-official Mehr news agency said the situation was under control.
Al-Jazeera reported that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said Gulf nations would no longer act as a shield for American military bases, warning that the US would no longer enjoy a safe haven in the region.
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In remarks posted on his Telegram channel on Tuesday, Khamenei said, “The hands of time do not turn back, and the nations and territories of the region will no longer serve as a shield for American bases. America will no longer have a safe haven for evil or for establishing military bases in the region.”
Mojtaba Khamenei assumed Iran's top leadership position in March after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in US-Israel air strikes. Since taking office, he has largely remained out of the public eye.
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