Iran says air defense downed US MQ-9 drone above Qeshm Island

Iran's army announced on Friday that its air defense network shot down a US MQ-9 drone above Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the aircraft as belonging to the "invading American enemy" and labeling the US military a "terrorist army," according to the Tasnim news agency.

Drone interception

The military's public relations office said the drone was targeted and destroyed by "advanced systems" operating within the integrated air defense network, the Tasnim news agency reported. The statement characterized the US military as a "terrorist army" and described the aircraft as belonging to the "invading American enemy," though Washington has not commented on the claim.

Strategic waterway

Qeshm Island sits in the southern province of Hormozgan near the northern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint connecting the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. The island serves as a critical location for Iranian military operations and has seen repeated aerial encounters with American unmanned aircraft in recent months.

Unresolved conflict

The incident occurs against the backdrop of a US-Israeli offensive against Iran that began on Feb. 28 and has yet to be settled despite a June memorandum outlining a comprehensive peace deal. Tehran has repeatedly reported intercepting US drones above Qeshm and surrounding waters since the war began, though Washington rarely confirms such claims.