Iran downs 'hostile' drone near strategic Qeshm island
Iranian air defense units shot down a hostile drone near Qeshm Island overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported on Friday, as Yemen's Houthi forces separately claimed to have destroyed an American unmanned aircraft over Marib province amid the ongoing two-month war.
Iran's air defense forces shot down a "hostile" unmanned aerial vehicle near Qeshm Island overlooking the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state-run media reported on Friday, identifying the aircraft as an American-Israeli drone operating in the vicinity of the vital shipping chokepoint.
Iran downs drone near strategic waterway
The semi-official Tasnim News Agency said army air defense units detected the "hostile American-Zionist drone" before successfully targeting and destroying it near the island. Military officials stated the unmanned craft had entered restricted airspace in a region that controls access to the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Tehran-based outlet.
Houthis claim separate strike in Yemen
Yemen's Houthi group separately announced it had shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Marib province while the aircraft conducted what the movement described as hostile missions. The claim, broadcast by the group's Al-Masirah television channel, came as Washington maintained silence regarding the alleged incident in central Yemen.
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The Iran-aligned Houthis entered the broader confrontation in late March to support Tehran following the outbreak of hostilities between Iran and the US-Israeli alliance. The group warned in April that it could expand military operations if the war continues, threatening navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Fragile ceasefire holds after failed talks
Tensions across the Middle East have escalated since Washington and Israel launched military strikes against Iran in late February, prompting retaliatory attacks targeting Israeli territory and American Gulf allies alongside the closure of the Hormuz waterway. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 following Pakistani mediation, though subsequent negotiations in Islamabad failed to secure a lasting settlement.
Former US President Donald Trump extended the truce indefinitely after the talks stalled, but the two sides have continued exchanging proposals and counterproposals in an effort to resume direct negotiations. Diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a permanent resolution to the conflict that has disrupted global energy shipments through the strategic maritime passage.
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