The key facts

  • IRGC: an MQ-1 was shot down over Kishm Island by the corps' newest air defense system
  • By Iran's count, this is the 15th destroyed MQ-1; the previous one was on October 29 over the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz
  • The United States did not comment on the claim; according to Life.ru citing a NewsNation source, the US struck radars and launchers on Kishm

IRGC statement on the interception

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that its air defense forces detected and shot down an American MQ-1 drone in the sky over Kishm Island — the largest island in the Persian Gulf, located near the northern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz. According to the IRGC, the interception was carried out by the corps' Aerospace Forces' newest air defense system, operating as part of Iran's unified air defense network. The corps' press service statement was published by the Tasnim agency. The American military made no comment on the report.

A series of interceptions according to Iranian data

According to the count of Iranian military, this is already the 15th downed aircraft of the MQ-1 model. The previous one, the 14th, they say, was destroyed on October 29 over the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz opposite the city of Sirik — also using a new air defense system. In addition, on November 3 the IRGC reported disabling two MQM-170 reconnaissance drones with electronic warfare means south of Kishm and destroying an MQ-9 over the eastern part of the strait. All these figures and claims come only from the Iranian side and have not been confirmed by the United States.

Context of the confrontation

The interceptions come against the backdrop of ongoing American strikes on Iranian targets. As NewsNation White House correspondent Kelly Meyer reported, citing a knowledgeable source, the United States attacked radar stations and missile launchers on Kishm, explaining the operation as necessary to protect American forces from Iranian anti-aircraft missiles. According to The Wall Street Journal, cited by Life.ru, the United States had been conducting limited attacks on Iranian territory for several weeks, linking them in part to threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Anadolu, the US-Israel war against Iran began on February 28, a ceasefire was reached in April, but in July, amid deadlocked diplomatic efforts, hostilities resumed. The IRGC also reported the blowing up of four tankers on mines in the Strait of Hormuz.