Iran’s military said it downed a US MQ-1 drone that prowled the Strait of Hormuz in the latest reported clash involving unmanned aircraft in the strategic waterway amid increased tensions in the region, TasnimNews reported.
Iranian air defence forces detected, tracked and destroyed the drone while it was flying over the strait, a statement reported by Iranian state-linked media said. The aircraft was a US MQ-1 reconnaissance drone, Iranian authorities said.
The claim could not be independently confirmed and there was no immediate word from the US military.
The incident comes amid heightened military activity around the Strait of Hormuz, which is facing growing security risks. The strait is a key route for global energy shipments and recent attacks and military operations have caused a sharp decline in commercial vessel traffic. Only four outbound and 10 inbound vessels passed over the weekend, below the 10-day average of 14 daily transits, Reuters reported on Monday.
Iran has repeatedly said it is ready to defend its airspace and maritime approaches as tensions with the United States simmer.
The latest incident comes amid a spate of reported drone encounters over the strait in recent months, including earlier Iranian claims of shooting down US MQ-9 vehicles.
