Iran says another US MQ-9 drone downed over Qeshm Island near Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that it shot down another US MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said in a statement that the aircraft was the 53rd US MQ-9 drone downed by Iranian forces.

It said the drone was detected and destroyed at 10.12 am local time (0642GMT) by a new advanced air defense system operated by the IRGC Aerospace Force under the country's integrated air defense network.

The latest incident comes amid a series of drone interceptions reported by Iranian forces in recent weeks around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Iran and the US have been engaged in military exchanges since US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on Feb. 28. Tehran has responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US military bases across the region.