TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, that its air defense forces shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.
According to Iranian news outlets, the IRGC is now claiming to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 “Reaper” Medium-Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle over Bandar Abbas, Iran. pic.twitter.com/WAvgSGoLVi
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 8, 2026
Iranian state-affiliated media reported that the drone was detected and tracked by Iranian air defenses before it was targeted after allegedly entering Iranian airspace.
The claim comes amid continued military tensions around Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province and the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces have made several similar claims in recent months involving U.S. drones, including MQ-9 Reapers.
The MQ-9 Reaper is a U.S. remotely piloted aircraft used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as precision strike operations.
As of September 8, 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command had not publicly confirmed or denied the specific reported loss of an MQ-9 near Bandar Abbas.
The latest incident also has not been independently verified. Iranian authorities have previously released claims and imagery concerning alleged U.S. drone interceptions, but the details of individual incidents have not always been independently authenticated.
Bandar Abbas is a major Iranian port city in Hormozgan province, located near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Further statements from Iranian or U.S. authorities could provide additional details about the reported incident.
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