Iran says it has shot down another US drone

Iran has reported shooting down another military drone amid heightened military tensions with the United States.

The MQ-1 Predator drone was intercepted and destroyed east of the Strait of Hormuz by a new advanced air defence system, the Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday, citing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The US military did not initially confirm the report.

According to the Iranian report, the country's armed forces have destroyed 14 drones of this type and more than 50 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the outbreak of war in late February. Such claims generally cannot be independently verified.

However, according to the US Congressional Research Service, the United States has reported losing or sustaining damage to dozens of aircraft and drones since launching its attacks on Iran alongside Israel.

Iranian forces have recently stepped up attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Oil exports through the waterway fell again last week, according to shipping data provider Kpler.