Iran reports downing US drones in Hormuz as Pentagon disputes claims

Iran claims to have shot down and captured American unmanned aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz, an assertion swiftly rejected by the United States military amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent wider conflict.

According to Iranian state-linked outlets, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its units downed and seized a U.S. MQM-170 drone close to Qeshm Island. Iranian media further reported that forces destroyed an MQ-9 east of the strait, brought down another MQM-170 reconnaissance craft south of Qeshm, and neutralized an unmanned American vessel. Other state reports asserted an earlier MQM-170 had been captured using electronic-warfare tactics.

U.S. Central Command firmly denied the claims, describing reports of lost aircraft as untrue and confirming that every American unmanned surface vessel deployed in the region remained fully accounted for. The Pentagon has not verified any of the Iranian assertions.

The allegations coincided with reports from Iranian state media of five consecutive blasts heard across Qeshm Island. Witnesses reportedly spotted two planes flying over the area, and separate explosions were reported off Bandar Lengeh. No official attribution, casualty figures or damage assessments were confirmed.

The exchanges occur against the backdrop of mediated talks in Doha, Qatar, where representatives have traded messages without reaching a diplomatic breakthrough. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, insisted that regional transit through the vital waterway cannot normalize until what Tehran describes as an American naval blockade is lifted, saying any progress rests entirely on Washington.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that crude prices were sliding rapidly because markets do not anticipate open warfare. He stated that Tehran is eager for a swift resolution and suggested an agreement could materialize soon. U.S. Vice President JD Vance noted that discussions had yielded progress and that no firm timeline had been established for potential military strikes.

Maritime tensions in the broader region remain heightened following recent security incidents, including an attack on a tanker off Ras Al Khafji, Saudi Arabia, on November 1, and assertions by Iranian sources that four tankers exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM has rejected accusations that its operations endanger civilian shipping and countered Iranian claims regarding navigation safety in the corridor.