Iran Says Its Air Force Intercepted US Plane And Two US Drones During LArge-Scale Hormuz Exercises

Iranian Fotros drone, via state media

Times of Israel/AFP: Iran says it drove off US aircraft that flew close to military exercise zone

Tehran is carrying out major naval drills over waters stretching from northern Indian Ocean to the eastern end of Strait of Hormuz; new homegrown submarine seen for first time

TEHRAN, Iran — The Iranian navy on Friday said it drove off American aircraft that flew close to an area where military exercises were underway near the Strait of Hormuz.

The military said three US aircraft — a P-8 airplane, a MQ-9 drone and a RQ-4 drone — were detected by Iran’s air force radars after they entered the country’s air defense identification zone, according to its website.

After “ignoring warnings by Iran’s defense systems to keep away from the drill zone” the aircraft were tracked by an Iranian drone before “they changed course and left the zone,” it added.

In June last year, a US RQ-4 drone was shot down by Iran after allegedly violating the Islamic republic’s airspace — a claim the US has denied.

The sworn enemies have come to the brink of direct confrontation twice since then.

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Update #1: Iran Says It Chased Off US Spy Plane During Large-Scale Hormuz Exercises (Zero Hedge)
Update #2: Iran Air Force Intercepts US Plane, Two Drones During Drills (Caspian News)

WNU Editor: No confirmation of this intercept from the US military.