Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said its air defense forces intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island early Wednesday, marking what it described as the 52nd American drone brought down during the ongoing conflict.

According to the IRGC Public Relations Department, the drone was shot down at 2:29 a.m. local time by a newly deployed advanced air-defense system operated by the IRGC Aerospace Force.

The IRGC said the MQ-9 was detected and engaged while operating within the area covered by Iran's integrated air-defense network, highlighting the country's expanding ability to track and counter sophisticated unmanned aircraft.

The force identified the downed aircraft as the 52nd US MQ-9 drone destroyed by Iranian forces during the conflict.

The latest interception comes amid heightened military tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel, with Tehran repeatedly warning that foreign military aircraft and drones operating against Iranian territory would face a direct response.

Iranian air-defense forces have reported a series of successful interceptions during the US-Israeli war against Iran, claiming to have brought down hundreds of hostile unmanned aircraft.

According to the IRGC, the drones targeted or intercepted during the conflict included US-made MQ-1 and MQ-9 aircraft, as well as Lukas and Hermes drones.

The reported destruction of another MQ-9 underscores the increasingly contested nature of the airspace around Iran and the growing challenge facing foreign forces seeking to conduct surveillance and military operations near Iranian territory.

Iran has repeatedly emphasized that its integrated air-defense network remains capable of detecting and engaging hostile aircraft and drones, while the IRGC has vowed to respond to violations of Iranian airspace with increasingly advanced defensive measures. (ILKHA)