Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed an MQ-1 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz near Sirik, according to state media.
The IRGC claimed this was the 14th MQ-1 drone destroyed by its air defense systems. In a separate statement, the IRGC Navy stated its electronic warfare unit forced an American MQM-170 spy and decoy drone to land intact in the western sector of the strait.
Additionally the IRGC Navy reported that three commercial oil tankers caught fire after striking sea mines over the past 24 hours. Iranian officials claimed the vessels had turned off their tracking systems and attempted to navigate an unauthorized southern route through the strait. The crews reportedly abandoned the burning ships off the southern coast.
The developments come amid escalating military tensions and reports of potential US-Israeli offensive action against Tehran following the collapse of a June peace memorandum. The ongoing conflict has severely disrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is a critical transit route for global energy supplies.
