Iran's navy claims US MQ-I drone shot down off southern coast

The Iranian navy claims it shot down a US MQ-1 drone near the coastal area of Kuhestak in Hormozgan Province, according to a report by Middle East Eye citing the Islamic Republic News Agency (Irna). The navy stated the drone was intercepted and destroyed by an air defence system operating under an integrated air defence network near Sirik, east of the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain and responsible for the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, has been involved in recent clashes with Iran and the enforcement of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports, according to the Jerusalem Post. Amid high regional tensions, Vice Admiral Curt Renshaw, the commander of the US Fifth Fleet, recently concluded a visit to Israel where he met with the Commander of the Navy and senior command to discuss maritime operations and regional stability.

Haaretz reports that The Wall Street Journal previously stated the US military evacuated aircraft from the RAF Mildenhall military base following a threat from Iran. Additionally, the director of MI5 noted that an Iranian attempt to strike a British air base is not an isolated occurrence.

Brief written by urgent.news from Middle East Eye, Jerusalem Post, Haaretz — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.