Iranupdated 1h ago3 min read
IRGC Shoots Down US MQ-9 Reaper Drone Over Strait of Hormuz, Claims 54th
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IRGC says it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper over the Strait of Hormuz. Claimed to be the 54th US drone destroyed by IRGC.
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IRGC claims MQ-9 downing
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz, describing the aircraft as intercepted by Iran’s air defence systems.
The IRGC said the drone was brought down during a flight over the strategically important waterway earlier in the day, and Iranian media reported the Aerospace Force’s air defence units carried out the interception.
The IRGC also claimed the incident marked the 54th US military drone it had brought down using Iran’s integrated air defence network, while the United States had not officially confirmed the incident at the time of publication.
The Mehr News Agency said the IRGC Aerospace Force air defenses intercepted and destroyed a U.S. MQ-9 drone over the Strait of Hormuz early today, calling it the 54th such drone downed.
The Pars Today report said the 59th US MQ-9 drone had been destroyed by the fire of a new advanced air defense system operated by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in the Persian Gulf.
Competing tallies, no US confirmation
Tasnim reported that the IRGC said Iranian air defence systems intercepted and destroyed the unmanned aircraft, and the IRGC described it as the 54th US military drone it had brought down. The Sunday Guardian said the IRGC claimed its air defence forces intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 drone over the strait using what it described as an advanced defence system, and it said the claim had not been independently verified. The Sunday Guardian reported that Iranian media said the Aerospace Force carried out the interception early on Tuesday, and it said the drone’s precise location or mission at the time of the alleged interception was not established in the reports reviewed.
The Firstpost Live segment said the Washington Post has reported at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper losses since February, while it said the estimated value of the lost fleet stands at around $1.3 billion. The Pars Today report, citing IRIB, said the 54th MQ-9 drone belonging to the terrorist US military was intercepted and destroyed over the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, while it also carried a headline about the 59th US MQ-9 drone being destroyed.
Strait of Hormuz stakes
Iranian officials tied the drone claim to wider pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, with the Sunday Guardian describing the corridor as connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serving as one of the world’s most important routes for transporting oil and other energy supplies. Vietnam.vn, citing WANA, said the IRGC warned that underwater internet cables in the Strait of Hormuz could become targets for Iran if the conflict with the United States resumes, and it quoted IRGC spokesperson Hussein Mahbi. Hussein Mahbi said, “We do not rule out the possibility of renewed conflict, and Iran’s response this time will be firmer,” and he added that the United States will face many difficulties while the world faces the risk of slipping into a new crisis.
“‘We do not rule out the possibility of renewed conflict, and Iran’s response this time will be firmer.”
Vietnam.vn reported that Mahbi said there are currently seven major underwater cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz, serving global internet operations and commercial data transfer, and that these cables could become the next targets. The Firstpost Live segment said Russia is offering to mediate between Washington and Tehran, while it also said American lawmakers demand greater transparency over war spending.