Summary The incident comes at a time of escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington
TEHRAN (Web Desk) - Iran has claimed that its advanced air defence system shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone in southern Iran amid ongoing tensions in the region.
According to Iranian officials, the incident occurred near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway that has remained at the center of heightened regional tensions.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the American Reaper drone was attempting to approach a combat zone from the northern part of the Persian Gulf when it was detected and destroyed by Iranian air defence units.
In a statement, Iranian authorities said the drone was brought down near the city of Jam in Bushehr Province after entering the area’s airspace.
Iranian officials said the incident comes at a time of escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Iranian media reported that the drone was targeted while military activities were underway in the region.
There has been no immediate independent confirmation or denial of the claim from the US military.
However, US Central Command has recently acknowledged military operations near the Strait of Hormuz and actions involving Iran.
Military analysts note that the MQ-9 Reaper is one of the United States' most advanced unmanned aerial vehicles, widely used for surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and precision strike missions.
