Iran has released visuals of what it says are downed US MQ-9 Reaper and Israeli Hermes 900 drones, presenting the wreckage as evidence of its air defence capabilities during the ongoing conflict.
Iranian state media showed the aircraft remains in an underground display, but the claims have not been independently verified.
The MQ-9 Reaper is a US-made unmanned aircraft used for long-range surveillance and armed missions. The Hermes 900, made by Israel’s Elbit Systems, is also designed for long-duration intelligence and surveillance operations.
The latest footage follows earlier Iranian claims that its forces had brought down American and Israeli drones during the conflict. In April, Iran said an Israeli Hermes 900 and a US MQ-9 had been shot down in Isfahan province. News reports at the time that it could not immediately verify the Iranian claims.
Iran has increasingly highlighted its air defence systems as evidence that it can challenge advanced US and Israeli aircraft. Tehran has previously said its newly revealed Arash-e Kamangir system was used to intercept a hostile drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media have provided few technical details about the system. Reports have described it as a new air defence system designed to detect and engage aircraft and drones. The earlier claim that it downed a US MQ-9 near the Strait of Hormuz also remained unverified.
The new images appear intended to reinforce Tehran’s message that its airspace remains contested despite the technological advantage of US and Israeli forces.
NEW:
Iran has recovered largely intact US MQ-9 Reaper and Israeli Hermes 900 drones.
IRGC engineers are expected to examine the captured systems, study their technologies and reverse-engineer key components to help develop advanced indigenous drone models. pic.twitter.com/3cOBvPVzNx
— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinkle) August 8, 2026
The footage also shows the importance of drones in the conflict. Both the MQ-9 and Hermes 900 can remain airborne for long periods, allowing operators to monitor large areas and support military operations without putting pilots directly at risk.
Iran has repeatedly claimed that its forces have destroyed large numbers of US and Israeli drones. Iranian state media said in July that hundreds of drones, including MQ-9 Reapers and Hermes aircraft, had been destroyed. Those figures have not been independently confirmed.
The latest display therefore offers a striking visual message from Tehran, but the images alone do not establish when or where the aircraft were lost, or whether every wreckage shown came from a shoot-down. Independent confirmation remains limited.
