Iran’s army claims downing of US drone over Bandar Abbas

Iran's army claimed Monday that its air defenses shot down a US drone over the southern city of Bandar Abbas, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency.

Mehr, citing an army statement, said air defense forces in southeastern Iran identified, intercepted, and destroyed “a hostile Lucas-type” aircraft over the skies of Bandar Abbas County near Hajiabad.

The army said the interception occurred while air defense units were responding to “enemy attacks and securing the country's airspace.”

The reported interception came hours after the US launched a new wave of strikes on military and infrastructure targets across Iran, including sites in the Bushehr, Khuzestan, and Hormozgan provinces, as well as rail infrastructure linking Tehran and Mashhad.

Tehran, in turn, announced missile and drone attacks targeting US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, while accusing Washington of violating a June 17 memorandum of understanding reached through Pakistani mediation.