Iran reports destruction of US drone and three tanker incidents in Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN – Iran’s armed forces have reported the destruction of two different American unmanned platforms and incidents involving three oil tankers attempting to navigate unauthorized routes through the Strait of Hormuz, as the country maintains restrictions on maritime traffic through the strategic waterway. In separate announcements on Thursday and Friday, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy and the Iranian Army Navy reported the interception of an American MQ-1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the destruction of an enemy unmanned surface vessel (USV), and incidents involving three oil tankers accused of disregarding Iranian navigation regulations and safety warnings.

The announcements underscore Iran’s continued emphasis on enforcing its maritime security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and preventing unauthorized movements through designated shipping routes. Three oil tankers involved in incidents In a statement issued on Friday, the IRGC Navy announced that two oil tankers attempting to pass through unauthorized routes in the eastern and western sections of the Strait of Hormuz had encountered incidents and were stopped in the southern waters of the strategic waterway.

According to the statement, both vessels had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and attempted to leave the strait through unauthorized routes with the support of the US military. The IRGC Navy said the tankers had ignored repeated radio warnings, entered areas designated as unsafe, and subsequently encountered incidents before being halted. The force attributed the incidents and fires aboard the vessels to 'hostile actions by the US military,' as well as the tankers’ disregard for Iranian regulations governing navigation through the strait.

In a separate announcement, the IRGC Navy reported that a supertanker had exploded after striking a naval mine while attempting to navigate an unauthorized route through the waterway. The vessel, which was carrying more than two million barrels of oil, was left burning near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, according to the statement. The IRGC Navy described the supertanker as the third oil tanker to have suffered an explosion and caught fire on Friday after attempting to use unauthorized routes.

The announcements did not identify the vessels or disclose their flags, ownership, or the precise circumstances of the incident. Iranian Navy destroys unmanned surface vessel Separately, the Iranian Army Navy announced that its forces had destroyed an enemy unmanned surface vessel operating in the eastern Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Friday. According to the Navy's public relations office, the remotely operated vessel was struck and destroyed while moving and conducting operations within the area monitored by Iranian naval forces.

The Navy also reported that two enemy oil tankers had sustained damage and caught fire after striking naval mines while navigating restricted and unsafe waters east of the Strait of Hormuz with their tracking systems switched off. It said the vessels had disregarded previously issued warnings and maritime regulations, adding that their owners would bear full responsibility for the consequences of unauthorized navigation and failure to observe safety instructions.

The Navy warned that any hostile movement, infiltration or provocative action in areas monitored by Iran's armed forces would be met with a firm and proportionate response. IRGC downs American MQ-1 drone In a separate development announced on Thursday, the IRGC reported that its Aerospace Division had intercepted and destroyed an American MQ-1 unmanned aerial vehicle over the eastern Strait of Hormuz. According to a statement published on the IRGC's official website, the drone was brought down by an advanced air defense system operating within Iran's integrated air defense network.

The IRGC described the aircraft as the 14th advanced MQ-1 drone intercepted and destroyed. The aerial drone incident is distinct from the Iranian Army Navy's announcement concerning the destruction of an unmanned surface vessel. The two statements refer to different platforms and separate military operations. Iran emphasizes control over maritime traffic Iran has repeatedly warned commercial vessels against using navigation routes that have not been authorized by its maritime authorities, emphasizing that compliance with designated corridors and safety instructions is essential to preventing incidents in the Strait of Hormuz.

Since the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran began on February 28, 2026, Tehran has introduced new arrangements governing maritime traffic through the strait, citing security considerations and the need to protect its territorial waters and national interests. The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean, is one of the world's most strategically important maritime passages. A substantial share of internationally traded crude oil and petroleum products passes through this waterway, making maritime security and uninterrupted commercial navigation there a matter of international economic importance.

Iran maintains that safe passage through the strait requires vessels to observe the regulations established by the coastal authorities and refrain from unauthorized movements, particularly amid heightened regional tensions. The latest announcements by the IRGC Navy and the Iranian Army Navy reinforce Tehran's warning that vessels operating in the area must comply with its maritime security instructions and that unauthorized navigation in designated restricted zones carries serious risks.