Iran Claims Downing of US F-16 and MQ-9 Reaper Over Southern Airspace
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on March 29, 2026, that its air defense units successfully shot down a United States F-16 Fighting Falcon and an MQ-9 Reaper drone. The incident reportedly occurred in Iran's southern airspace during joint retaliatory operations by the IRGC's Navy and Aerospace Division against military assets. While U.S. Central Command has not formally confirmed the losses, the IRGC asserts that American forces have acknowledged the targeting of their aircraft in official communications.
Date: March 29, 2026
Location: Hormozgan, Iran
Conflict: US-Iran Conflict
Category: missile
Severity: HIGH
Source: Xinhua