US Strikes Iranian Air Defences, Drone Command Sites After MQ-1 Shootdown in Gulf Escalation

The United States said on Sunday that it carried out “self-defence strikes” against Iranian radar and drone-control facilities in Goruk and Qeshm Island, saying the operation was a response to what it described as aggressive actions by Tehran.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), Iran shot down an American MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters. In response, US fighter aircraft targeted and destroyed Iranian air-defence systems, a ground-control station and two one-way attack drones.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said no American personnel were injured during the operation.

“No American service members were harmed. CENTCOM will continue to protect US assets and interests in response to unwarranted Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire,” the command said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had launched a retaliatory strike targeting an air base linked to what it described as a US attack on a telecommunications tower on Sirik Island in Hormozgan province.

According to Iran International, the IRGC’s aerospace force carried out the attack on Monday but did not disclose the location of the targeted air base.

The latest exchange underscores continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran despite an ongoing ceasefire, raising concerns about the potential for further military escalation in the strategically important Gulf region.