Iran claims destruction of US C-130 aircraft alongside spy drone MQ-9 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed the destruction of a US C-130 aircraft, along with accompanying drones, according to Iranian media reports on Sunday.

The 24NewsHD TV channel reported that the IRGC claimed in a statement that the operation targeted the C-130 aircraft, marking a significant escalation amid rising tensions in the region. 

Details regarding the location and circumstances of the alleged incident have not been independently verified.

Iranian authorities emphasised that the destruction of the aircraft and drones reflects their readiness to respond to foreign military activities and to protect national sovereignty. 

The claim comes amid ongoing confrontations and heightened alert across regional airspaces.

While the announcement has been widely circulated in Iranian media, US officials have yet to comment on the incident. 

International observers have called for verification and caution against further escalation in the already tense geopolitical environment.

Earlier today, Iran also claimed that it shot down a United States MQ-9 reconnaissance drone over the central city of Isfahan, in what appears to be the latest escalation in regional tensions, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday.

According to Iranian state-linked sources, the drone was intercepted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps using its advanced aerospace defence system in coordination with the country’s integrated air defence network. 

The development was confirmed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which said the action demonstrated the effectiveness of Iran’s defensive capabilities.

The MQ-9 drone, widely used for surveillance missions, was described as a spy aircraft by Iranian officials. They maintained that it was successfully targeted and brought down within Iranian airspace.

On the other hand, five people were martyred while 170 were injured in fresh US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran's Special Petrochemical Zone of Mahshahr again.

According to the 23NewsHD TV channel, the country’s Shahkar Sports Stadium was also destroyed in the strikes.

Also on Sunday, while reacting to the US and Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear plant, the country’s foreign minister (FM) Abbas Araghchi said that in case there was radiation, this would not only destroy human life in Tehran but also in Gulf states.