The key facts

  • The IRGC claimed to have downed two American MQM-170 drones over Kish Island in the Strait of Hormuz
  • According to the Iranian side, the drones were disabled by electronic warfare systems
  • In total, Iran claims six downed MQM-170s; no US confirmations have been provided

IRGC statement on two downed drones

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Thursday that it had downed two American MQM-170 reconnaissance drones over Kish Island in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's state news agency IRNA reports, as cited by Anadolu. According to the agency, the statements were published in two separate messages.

Details of the incident and the overall tally

According to the IRGC statements, its aerospace forces used modern electronic warfare systems to disable the drones over the island. Including these two aircraft, the total number of MQM-170 drones that Iran claims to have downed since the start of the conflict has reached six: earlier, Tehran reported four such drones in the Strait of Hormuz area. No additional details about the new incidents were provided in the statements. There is no confirmation from the US side in the report.

Context

The statements came amid continued tensions between Tehran and Washington following the American-Israeli offensive against Iran that began on February 28. The Iranian side's reports of downed drones remain its own claims: no independent confirmations or reaction from the Pentagon appear in available publications.