IRGC claims it shot down a US MQ-1 drone in Iranian waters. Photo: X/Mario Nawfal
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday claimed that its forces had shot down a US MQ-1 drone after it allegedly entered Iranian territorial waters, according to a report by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Iranian media reports stated that the drone was detected while allegedly attempting to carry out hostile operations. It was subsequently targeted and brought down by Iranian air defence systems, the reports added. The IRGC also reiterated in earlier remarks that it retained what it described as the “legitimate and definite” right to respond to any violation of the ceasefire by the United States.
The claim follows the IRGC’s earlier announcement on Tuesday that its forces had downed a US MQ-9 drone. Local media reports also said Iranian air defence units had engaged a fighter aircraft that allegedly entered Iranian airspace. According to the United States Central Command (United States Central Command), US forces carried out strikes earlier this week targeting missile launch positions and mine-laying boats in southern Iran.
🚨🇮🇷 Iran’s IRGC claims it downed a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone that entered the airspace over its territorial waters in a “hostile operation” early this morning.
Treat this with caution for one specific reason.
The MQ-1 Predator was retired by the U.S. Air Force back in 2018,… https://t.co/oGlDgszqoh pic.twitter.com/ujuVNpA8so
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 31, 2026
“US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins said in a statement.
He further added, “Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” he said.
On Thursday, US forces also conducted additional overnight strikes targeting a military facility in Iran, which Washington said posed a threat to American personnel and commercial shipping in the region, according to multiple US media reports.
The US MQ-1 Predator is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
MQ-1 Predator is one of the earliest widely recognised military drones capable of long-endurance surveillance as well as precision strike missions. It can remain airborne for more than 24 hours and was later adapted to carry two AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.
The drone requires a ground crew for takeoff and landing using line-of-sight communication. Once airborne, control is transferred to a remote pilot and two sensor operators based in a US ground control station via satellite data links.
Introduced in the mid-1990s, the Predator marked a shift in military drone usage from surveillance-only roles to active combat engagement.
It was widely used in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen, enabling the US to track and strike time-sensitive targets without risking pilot lives.
Although the US Air Force officially retired the MQ-1 Predator in 2018 in favour of the heavier and more heavily armed MQ-9 Reaper, the aircraft continues to remain in limited international service.
US President Donald Trump recently shared a stylised, artificial intelligence-generated image of himself on social media.
The image depicted a digitally fabricated portrait of Trump wearing an elaborate military uniform while pointing forward.
The post included a cryptic caption that read: “YOU’RE GETTING DISCOMBOBULATED.”
Also Read: Americans Injured In Iranian Missile Strike On Kuwaiti Air Base – Watch
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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