US drone (file image)
IRGC says it downed US MQ-9 drone, seized control of two others near Qeshm Island
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- Iran says it has downed 68 US drones since the escalation of hostilities, a figure that remains unverified.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Monday that it had taken control of two US reconnaissance drones and shot down a third military drone near Qeshm Island and the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC said its electronic warfare units had infiltrated the control and navigation systems of two US MQM-170 reconnaissance drones operating south of Qeshm Island, bringing both aircraft under Iranian control.
Separately, the force said its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone east of the Strait of Hormuz while it was conducting what it described as operational missions.
The claims come amid heightened military tensions between Washington and Tehran, with the strategic waterway remaining a focal point of their confrontation. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and serves as a critical route for global oil and gas shipments.
Iran has repeatedly claimed to have intercepted or shot down US drones in the region. On Oct. 30, Iranian media reported that the IRGC had seized control of an MQM-170 reconnaissance drone near Qeshm using electronic warfare systems. US Central Command rejected a separate Iranian claim that day that it had captured an American drone.
The IRGC also announced on Oct. 30 that it had shot down a total of 68 US drones since the escalation of hostilities, including 54 MQ-9 Reapers and 14 MQ-1 aircraft. Those figures have not been independently verified.
The MQ-9 Reaper is an American remotely piloted aircraft used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as precision strikes. Its long endurance and surveillance capabilities make it a significant asset for US military operations.
The latest announcement follows a series of incidents around Qeshm Island. On Oct. 31, Iranian state media reported that US forces had attacked two fishing boats near the island, citing a provincial official who said one fisherman was wounded. The reported incident was not independently confirmed.
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