TEHRAN — The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced that its aerospace force shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz using a “modern and advanced” air defense system, marking the latest in a devastating series of losses for the U.S. military’s premier armed reconnaissance platform.
The downing, confirmed by the IRGC’s official Sepah News outlet, comes as the U.S. Air Force’s operational Reaper fleet has fallen to roughly 135 aircraft—well below its minimum floor of 189—with Iran having destroyed over two dozen MQ-9s since the war began in late February, representing nearly 20 percent of the Pentagon’s pre-war inventory at an estimated cost of $1 billion.
General Atomics, the manufacturer, has confirmed that fewer than 10 new airframes remain available for purchase, and the production line for the MQ-9A has been shut down.
The IRGC has documented at least 41 to 42 Reapers destroyed in flight over Iranian territory, the Persian Gulf, and on the ground at U.S. bases in Kuwait and Jordan, with the latest Operation Nasr-2 strikes destroying eight MQ-9s still in canisters at Jordan’s King Faisal Air Base. 
The MQ-9 Reaper, which the U.S. Air Force has called the “most valuable player” of its campaign against Iran, has proven increasingly vulnerable against Iran’s layered, domestically produced air defense systems—including the 358 loitering interceptor also used by Yemen’s Ansarullah forces to down nearly 30 Reapers since 2023.
U.S. officials have conceded that the drone’s survivability in high-threat environments is now in question. Air Force Lieutenant General David Tabor told Congress that the military is “exploring options to acquire as many MQ-9A aircraft as possible right now,” acknowledging the urgent need to replenish a fleet systematically dismantled by Iranian air defenses.
Mohsen Rezaei, advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and former IRGC commander, declared in a television interview Monday that the United States was “defeated midway” in Trump’s third war against Iran, as Iranian forces disrupted American plans, forced the relocation of U.S. command centers, and inflicted heavy casualties.
Rezaei characterized the recent American aggression as Trump’s third war against Iran, coming after earlier 12-day and 40-day wars. He revealed that Iran prepared to strike three locations inside Ukraine in response to an attack on an Iranian ship, but suspended the operation after Kiev claimed the incident was a mistake, while stressing that compensation remains obligatory.
Rezaei detailed the battle of Hormuz, noting that Israel was absent from the latest round of attacks, which focused on southern Iran. American forces bombed communication bridges, radars and military centers in an attempt to weaken Iranian logistics, he said. When Trump demanded heavier strikes, his commanders replied that “maximum capability had already been used, and still they failed.”
In response, Iran launched successive, precise strikes against U.S. bases across the region, forcing the relocation of American forces and shifting their command from Qatar to Jordan and then to Israel, placing command and support far from the battlefield. 
“Trump’s third war against Iran was defeated midway, adding a severe failure to his previous setbacks. We continued our strikes for two days after the Americans stopped,” Rezaei added.
The U.S. recently admitted to 650 killed and wounded in the recent war; Iranian estimates place the figure at nearly 500 killed. While a full-scale American ground invasion is no longer realistic, Washington is already preparing a fourth round, including plots to stir internal unrest and attempts to drag other countries into the conflict, as seen in the Ukrainian attack on the Iranian ship.
Rezaei warned that America’s desperate maneuvers risk igniting the sparks of a third world war, noting that West Asia today holds far greater potential for escalation than Europe on the eve of World War II. Rejecting claims that Iran is the aggressor, he stressed that “it was America that attacked our country and our people, martyred our Leader and our children.”
In a separate tweet Monday night,
Rezaei said, “If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties. The U.S. must change its behavior — or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran’s Assembly of Experts issued a statement Monday warning against trusting the United States given its repeated violations of the war-termination memorandum of understanding with Iran. 
Recent developments, it added, have demonstrated that the U.S. president’s signature is unreliable and that placing trust in the arrogant government is nothing more than an illusion. 
“Hope for understanding and agreement with this bullying regime will lead nowhere,” the assembly stated.
Acting Defense Minister Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Ibnolreza said Iran will “neither be caught off guard nor stand idly by” amid repeated U.S. threats, adding that Tehran will “use the threat as an opportunity to strengthen our preparedness, reinforce our deterrence, and further enhance our power.”
The United States and Israel waged their first war on Iran in June 2025, lasting 12 days. Their second aggression began on February 28 and halted in early April after 40 days. Tehran and Washington signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding on June 17, but Washington has effectively violated the deal by