Israeli Army Says One of Its Drones Downed over Iran

An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at the company's drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. REUTERS/Orel Cohen
An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at the company's drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. REUTERS/Orel Cohen
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Israeli Army Says One of Its Drones Downed over Iran

An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at the company's drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. REUTERS/Orel Cohen
An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at the company's drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. REUTERS/Orel Cohen

The Israeli military said Wednesday that one of its drones had been downed while operating over Iran, the first such loss it has acknowledged since the start of hostilities last week.

An army statement said the drone had gone down in Iran after being hit by a surface-to-air missile, AFP reported.

"No injuries were reported and there is no risk of an information breach," it added.

Iranian state television broadcast pictures of the wreckage of what it said was an armed Israeli Air Force Hermes drone in the central city of Isfahan.

The Israeli air force has been launching daily raids on Iran since last Friday, with the country targeting missile sites in particular along with other military and nuclear-related sites.

Military spokesman Effie Defrin insisted that Israel was "operating freely" over Iran with airstrikes that have involved "dozens of aircraft of various types."

"We will continue to strike anywhere within Iran that we choose. Yes, there is resistance, but we control the skies and will continue to maintain that control," he told a televised press briefing on Wednesday.

The Israeli military said on Monday it had achieved "total air superiority in the skies over Tehran".

More than 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets carried out airstrikes in the Tehran area on Wednesday morning, targeting a production facility for uranium enrichment centrifuges among other locations, according to an earlier statement from the military.



NBC: US Strikes Destroyed Only One of Three Iranian Nuclear Sites

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Isfahan enrichment facility in Iran after being hit by Israeli airstrikes, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Isfahan enrichment facility in Iran after being hit by Israeli airstrikes, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
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NBC: US Strikes Destroyed Only One of Three Iranian Nuclear Sites

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Isfahan enrichment facility in Iran after being hit by Israeli airstrikes, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Isfahan enrichment facility in Iran after being hit by Israeli airstrikes, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP)

A new US assessment has found that American strikes in June destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing current and former US officials familiar with the matter, Reuters said.

President Donald Trump rejected a military plan for further comprehensive strikes on Iran's nuclear program, which would have lasted several weeks, the report added.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.