The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says its advanced air defense system has intercepted and destroyed the 16th US MQ-1 reconnaissance-combat drone over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC public relations office said in a statement on Friday that the drone belonging to the US military was brought down by an advanced air defense system operated by the IRGC Aerospace Force, under the control of Iran’s integrated air defense network.

It added that “repeated” failures of the enemy’s reconnaissance missions had cast a shadow over the record of Commander of the United States Central Command Brad Cooper.

According to the statement, the IRGC forces are constantly monitoring enemy aerial movements, reconnaissance activities, and the flight patterns of the drones.

IRGC downs 15th advanced US MQ-1 drone over Qeshm Island

The interception marks the 15th US MQ-1 drone shot down by Iranian air defenses since the start of the war in late February.

The IRGC on Wednesday said it has intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-1 drone over Qeshm Island, marking the 15th aircraft of its kind brought down by Iranian air defenses.

The statement did not specify the exact time of the incident or the type of missile used.

The MQ-1 Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft developed by General Atomics and operated primarily by the US Air Force.

The aircraft has been widely used in US military and surveillance operations across the West Asia region and beyond.

The US Air Force retired its MQ-1 Predator fleet in 2018, shifting to the more advanced MQ-9 Reaper for combat operations.

With Iran’s Armed Forces having inflicted significant losses on the US MQ-9 Reaper fleet during the US-Israeli aggression, Washington has been forced to turn back to MQ-1 drones to sustain its aerial surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have continued to escalate over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints.

Since the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran on February 28, Tehran has imposed strict regulations on the Strait, requiring all vessels to coordinate with Iranian naval authorities and obtain permission before transiting.

Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its complete control, with the IRGC Navy and the Army Navy jointly managing security in the region.