Iran says it shot down US MQ-9 drone in Hormozgan airspace

WASHINGTON, United States — TEHRAN — Iran's Revolutionary Guard said on Friday that it shot down a US MQ-9 drone in the airspace of Hormozgan Province in the country's south. In a statement, the Guard's Public Relations unit said the aircraft was detected, intercepted and hit by an advanced air defense system attached to its aerospace force. The operation was carried out under the supervision of Iran's integrated air defense network, according to the statement. The Guard did not provide additional details on the exact coordinates of the shootdown or the moment it occurred. It said the drone belonged to US forces and framed the interception as a step to safeguard Iranian airspace. The announcement came during a period of heightened military tension in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Disputes between Tehran and Washington over security and military conditions in the region continue.