Iran Claims Shootdown of American Drone Near Bandar Abbas

Tehran: Iran's armed forces on Sunday claimed to have shot down an American 'Lucas' drone that was flying over the southern city of Bandar Abbas, raising fresh concerns about the already fragile standoff between Tehran and Washington.

The Iranian army's air defense units carried out the interception on Sunday morning, according to an official military statement. The army's public relations office said the drone was destroyed while operating in the sky above the city.

The announcement was also shared through an official social media post, which described the operation as the destruction of a hostile US drone by Iran's integrated air defense forces.

The IRGC has separately reported a major air defense success. On October 20, it said it had downed an American MQ-9 drone over the Strait of Hormuz, calling it the 54th such drone shot down by its forces.

The Guard Corps has also stated that dozens of Iranian surveillance and combat drones, along with other enemy aircraft, have been shot down since the US and Israeli military campaign began on February 28.

IRGC officials maintain that the operations were conducted in a conflict that violates the UN Charter and international law. The region remains under close watch as military activity continues.