Iran claims to have shot down two US MQ-9 drones – shared video

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its air defense systems shot down a US-made MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle over the central city of Isfahan on Tuesday.In a statement, the IRGC said the long-range drone was “intercepted and destroyed” by an advanced system that forms part of Iran’s integrated air defense network. Iranian local media shared a video claiming the attack, saying, “The moment of impact and explosion of two MQ-9 drones in the airspace of Isfahan last night.”Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, Iran also claimed earlier this week that it had destroyed a US E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft during a missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base near Riyadh on March 27. The base, a major hub for US military operations, reportedly suffered significant damage, with at least 12 US service members injured. Images circulated on social media reportedly showed the plane burned, although the claim has not been independently confirmed.Reports identified the aircraft as serial number 81-0005, which was parked on a taxiway at the time of the attack. While it is unclear whether it was directly attacked, according to military website War Zone, defense experts say it could also have been destroyed by a nearby explosion due to shrapnel impact and high risk of fire.