--- title: "Iran claims downing US drone over Strait of Hormuz" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-claims-downing-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/iran-claims-downing-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-claims-downing-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/iran-claims-downing-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-10-20T07:25:27.283Z" source_reported: "2026-10-20T07:11:10.634Z" updated: "2026-10-20T07:25:27.283Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 45 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-20T07:15:20.502880+00:00" --- # Iran claims downing US drone over Strait of Hormuz *The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated it used a new air defence system to destroy an MQ-9 Reaper drone.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Claims are attributed to Iranian agencies, with no independent verification or US confirmation. - Craft 45 of 100, higher is better. Reporting relies heavily on digests, with limited original content and no direct quotes from affected parties. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headlines use strong verbs like 'shot down' and 'destroyed' without immediate independent confirmation. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz. - The IRGC stated the drone was destroyed using a new, advanced air defence system. - The US military has not confirmed Iran's claim. - Some reports mention this is the 54th MQ-9 drone belonging to the US military to be destroyed. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed to have shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC stated the drone was intercepted and destroyed using a new, advanced air defence system. The US military has not confirmed this claim. ## Conflicting drone loss figures Reports differ on the number of US drones lost. The IRGC stated this was the 54th MQ-9 drone belonging to the US military to be destroyed. One report cited a US Congressional Research Service report indicating that 81 US aircraft and drones had been lost or damaged since February, with replacement costs ranging from $1.9 billion to $3.3 billion. ## Omissions None of the right-rated reports mention the cost estimate of $1.9 billion to $3.3 billion for lost or damaged US aircraft and drones that was cited in a US Congressional Research Service report. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 14% (1) - Centre: 29% (2) - Right: 57% (4) 12 of 19 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-20T07:15:20.502880+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-20T07:30:29.593Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - CGTN, rated left, reported the IRGC's claim that the 54th MQ-9 drone belonging to the US military was intercepted and destroyed over the Strait of Hormuz. CGTN stated the operation was carried out using a new, advanced air defence system belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force, operating under the command of the country’s integrated air defence network. ### Centre - Lietuvos Radijas ir Televizija, rated centre, reported that Iran's Tasnim news agency stated an MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down over the Strait of Hormuz using a new, advanced air defence system. The report noted that the IRGC claimed to have destroyed over 50 drones of this type since the start of the war, but that the US military had not confirmed this information and such claims are typically impossible to verify independently. PressTV, also rated centre, reported the IRGC downed the 54th US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz. ### Right - Anadolu Ajansı, rated right, reported the Revolutionary Guard said an MQ-9 drone was intercepted and destroyed early Tuesday, according to the Fars news agency. Mehr News Agency, also rated right, reported the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the downing of an MQ-9 drone belonging to the US in the skies over the Strait of Hormuz. News-pravda.com, rated right, reported the IRGC Aerospace Force shot down another US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz early this morning, according to Press TV, and estimated the cost of 54 downed drones at over $2.1 billion. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 4 - high: 2 - unknown: 12 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [teleborsa.it](https://teleborsa.it/News/2026/10/20/iran-abbattuto-un-drone-statunitense-sopra-lo-stretto-di-hormuz-31.html) — Iran, Shot Down an American Drone over the Strait of Hormuz - [Lietuvos Radijas ir Televizija](https://lrt.lt/naujienos/pasaulyje/6/3088112/iranas-teigia-virs-hormuzo-sasiaurio-numuses-jav-drona-mq-9-reaper) — Iran Claims to Have Shot Down a US MQ-9 Reaper Drone over the Strait of Hormuz - [Anadolu Ajansı](https://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/iran-says-it-downed-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz/4094096) — Iran Says It Downed US Drone over Strait of Hormuz - [maravipost.com](https://maravipost.com/iran-shoots-down-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz) — Iran shoots down US drone over Strait of Hormuz - [PressTV](https://presstv.co.uk/Detail/2026/10/20/778753/Iran-intercepts,-shoots-down-54th-US-MQ-9-Reaper-drone-since-start-of-US-Israeli-aggression) — IRGC downs 54th US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Strait of Hormuz - [Unknown](https://khabaronline.ir/news/2290645/%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%BE%D9%87%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF-MQ-%DB%B9-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AA%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%B2-%D9%85%D9%86%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%AF) — IRGC: US MQ-9 Drone Destroyed in the Skies over the Strait of Hormuz - [Noticias ao Minuto](https://noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/3069565/irao-diz-ter-abatido-drone-dos-eua-sobre-o-estreito-de-ormuz) — Iran Claims to Have Shot U.S. Drone over the Strait of Ormuz - [Unknown](https://etilaatroz.com/263225/iran-says-it-downed-us-drone) — Iran Announces the Downing of a US Drone - [RPP](https://rpp.pe/mundo/medio-oriente/iran-afirmar-haber-derribado-un-dron-estadounidense-sobre-el-estrecho-de-ormuz-noticia-1713458) — Iran Claims to Have Shot Down an American Drone over the Strait of Ormuz - [negocios.com](https://negocios.com/articulo/geopolitica/iran-asegura-haber-derribado-dron-eeuu-desafia-trump-ormuz/20261020065033496166.html) — Iran Claims to Have Knocked Down a U.S. Drone and Challenges Trump in Ormuz - [fararu.com](https://fararu.com/fa/news/1011030/%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%BE%D9%87%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF-mq-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AA%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%B2-%D9%85%D9%86%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%AF) — IRGC: US MQ-9 Drone Destroyed in the Skies over the Strait of Hormuz - [Mehr News Agency](https://mehrnews.com/news/6983421/%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%BE%D9%87%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF-MQ-%DB%B9-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AA%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%B2) — Destroying a US MQ-9 Drone in the Skies over the Strait of Hormuz - [CGTN](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-10-20/news-1RoeARhWslq/p.html) — IRGC: 'Early this morning, the 54th MQ-9 drone belonging to the U.S. military was intercepted and destroyed in the skies over the Strait of Hormuz. The operation was carried out using a new, advanced air defense system belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force, operating under the command of the country’s integrated air defense network.' - [Unknown](https://aajtak.in/defence-news/story/iran-shot-us-mq-9-reaper-over-strait-of-hormuz-dskc-2675257-2026-10-20) — Iran Shoots Down US Sky Eye in Strait of Hormuz - [tabnak.ir](https://tabnak.ir/fa/news/1399531/%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%BE%D9%87%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D8%B4%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AA%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%B2) — Destroying an American Enemy Drone in the Sky of the Strait of Hormuz - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/176c761cac865ca0) — IRGC claims downed US drone over Strait of Hormuz - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/10/20/2679452.html) — ️ IRGC downs 54th US MQ-9 Reaper over Strait of Hormuz - [defapress.ir](https://defapress.ir/fa/news/871193/%D9%BE%D9%87%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF-mq-9-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%B2-%D9%85%D9%86%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%AF) — US Terrorist Army's MQ-9 Drone Destroyed in the Strait of Hormuz - [njtoday.news](https://njtoday.news/2026/10/19/irans-revolutionary-guard-captured-american-underwater-drone) — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard captured American underwater drone ## Questions **What does Iran claim happened?** Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday morning. They stated the drone was intercepted and destroyed using a new, advanced air defence system. **Has the US confirmed Iran's claim?** No, the US military has not confirmed Iran's claim that it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone. Such claims are typically difficult to verify independently. **How many US drones has Iran claimed to have destroyed?** The IRGC has claimed this is the 54th MQ-9 drone belonging to the US military to be destroyed. Other reports mention Iran claiming to have destroyed over 50 such drones since the start of the war. **What is the estimated cost of lost US drones?** One report cited a US Congressional Research Service report stating that 81 US aircraft and drones were lost or damaged since February. The cost to replace this equipment was estimated to be between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-claims-downing-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Iran claims downing US drone over Strait of Hormuz", https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-claims-downing-us-drone-over-strait-of-hormuz