Iran claims 17th US MQ-1 drone "destroyed"; 2 tankers "catch fire" in Strait of Hormuz

In a statement, the Public Relations department of the IRGC said that the American MQ-1 drone was intercepted and destroyed at around 2:30 pm (local time) on Saturday by its "new advanced aerospace defence system" over Qeshm Island.

The IRGC further claimed that the incident marked another failure of "enemy reconnaissance missions", stating that an "invading US military reconnaissance and combat drone from the MQ-1 family" was destroyed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Navy claimed that a second tanker caught fire on Saturday morning, which was the fifth such incident in 24 hours involving vessels either struck by Iran or hitting naval mines while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement shared by IRIB Telegram, the Army Navy Public Relations department said that the second tanker caught fire on Saturday after entering a "restricted" area east of the Strait of Hormuz.

It further claimed that the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz was "completely under the control and surveillance of the Iranian Navy".

"Fires and explosions are the fate of offending ships that turn off their tracking systems and travel in prohibited areas," the statement said.

Before the second tanker incident earlier, IRIB Telegram reported that an oil tanker had caught fire in the same area after allegedly hitting a naval mine.

According to the Iranian Navy, the vessel had been operating in an unsafe and prohibited area east of the Strait of Hormuz, ignoring previous warnings and switching off its tracking and identification systems.

The Navy said the tanker caught fire and stopped after striking a naval mine.

"Without a doubt, any offending tanker that travels in the restricted area east of the Strait of Hormuz will be set on fire by hitting naval mines," the statement said.

It also criticised tanker owners for sending their vessels into the restricted area, alleging that they were relying on assurances from the US President Donald Trump despite the risks.

It said, 'It is unfortunate that tanker owners, without learning from the fate of other offending vessels, trusting the nonsense of the criminal US president, are sending their capital into the mine war and throwing it into the fire."

The claims by Iranian state media and military authorities could not be independently verified.

The developments come amid escalating tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a major flashpoint in the ongoing conflict.

Iran has imposed restrictions on maritime movement through the waterway following the US-Israeli military campaign against the country, which began on February 28. Tehran has maintained that vessels must obtain authorisation from Iranian authorities to ensure safe passage.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically significant international shipping route through which a substantial share of the world's oil supply is transported.

The latest claims also follow Iran's assertion that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force destroyed a US early-warning radar installation in Bahrain in retaliation for an alleged American attack on telecommunications infrastructure in Iran's Sirik region.

However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the claim, stating that two Iranian attack drones targeting Bahrain had been intercepted, causing no injuries or damage.

In a post on X, CENTCOM said, "The IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain, and both were shot down by US forces. There were no injuries or damage." (ANI)