Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz early Monday. The drone crashed into the Persian Gulf, according to the IRGC.
In a statement, the IRGC's public relations office said its air-defense forces detected and struck the long-range unmanned aircraft with missile fire early Monday. The statement described the operation as the work of the IRGC's “ever-watchful” fighters and praised the Iranian public for continuing to support the country's armed forces.
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The reported drone shootdown comes after a sharp escalation in US-Iranian tensions and a series of military exchanges around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a major global energy transit route.
The claim came after US strikes on two Iranian launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, according to a US official cited by Axios. These were the first reported US strikes on Iranian territory since late July. Iran's Tasnim news agency said preliminary reports suggested drones were used in the attack.
The US strikes reportedly targeted systems that Washington believed were being prepared to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC said several Iranian fighters and civilians were killed or wounded in the attack and vowed to retaliate.
The latest developments show escalation between Washington and Tehran, with both sides accusing the other of threatening military and maritime security in and around the Gulf.
Iranian authorities have previously claimed to have downed US MQ-9 drones during periods of heightened tensions. Monday's reported shootdown, however, has not been independently confirmed, and there was no immediate US confirmation that the drone had been brought down.
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The incident is likely to further heighten concerns over military confrontation and maritime security in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
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