Iran said Friday that its forces had intercepted and destroyed an US-made MQ-9 drone over the southern province of Hormozgan.
"An MQ-9 drone was intercepted and shot down over Iran's Hormuzgan Province by the IRGC's new advanced air defense system," state broadcaster Press TV reported.
Citing three officials, The Washington Post reported Thursday that the US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, or roughly 25% of its fleet, during its war with Iran.
The losses involve an aircraft used for surveillance and targeted strikes that can cost between $30 million and $50 million depending on its equipment, according to the report.
The newspaper said the potential cost of the lost Reapers exceeds $1.3 billion.
The drones have been heavily used around the Strait of Hormuz but are "relatively easy targets" for Iran and its proxies because they fly slowly and often at low altitudes, it said.
Hormozgan province overlooks the Strait of Hormuz and includes the port city of Bandar Abbas.
The US and Iran agreed to a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire in April and later signed a deal on June 17, launching negotiations toward a final agreement. But the talks later stalled over disagreements on security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategic routes for global energy supplies and trade.
On July 8-24, the US and Iran exchanged more military strikes, with Washington launching attacks on targets inside Iran. Tehran responded by striking what it described as US military facilities and equipment in several Arab countries, including Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
