IRGC: Intruding Israeli Drone Flying from Regional Country
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior Iranian military commander said the Israeli drone which was shot down near a nuclear facility in central Iran had taken off from a regional country.
“The operational range of this spying drone reveals that it had not taken off from the occupied territories, but the departure was from one of the regional countries. We have found some clues in this regard and are exploring them,” said Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
The commander’s remarks came after the IRGC on Sunday tracked and shot down a radar-evading stealth Israeli drone which was intending to penetrate the airspace over Natanz nuclear zone. The intruding aircraft was intercepted by a surface-to-air missile.
“If such moves are repeated, the aggressors will be given a crushing response,” said the senior IRGC commander, reaffirming the preparedness of the country’s armed forces to counter any threats.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Monday, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said Iranian servicemen can vigilantly identify and track the enemy’s aircraft.
“Iranian armed forces including the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps are in a state of full preparedness to spot and intercept (any intruding aircraft).”
He noted that the downed aircraft was a Hermes, made by the Zionist regime of Israel.
The top officer added that an older model of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had been downed in Syria before, but the one shot down by the IRGC was more advanced.
On the technical features of the Israeli drone, Hajizadeh said it can carry out operations within a range of 800 kilometers and can fly a distance of 1,600 kilometers without refueling.
The drone was equipped with two optical devices, one at the forepart and another at the side, enabling it to take high-quality images, he added.
Heat absorbing materials were mounted around the engine, the commander explained, adding that special composites and alloys that absorb the radar waves make it possible for the Israeli UAV to carrying out stealthy operations.
“With an approximate wingspan of 5.5 meters, the drone is of a medium type,” he added.
The drone caught fire after being hit by a surface-to-air missile, because it contained a large amount of fuel, Hajizadeh said, noting that some components of the aircraft have remained intact.
He said the IRGC experts are analyzing the undamaged plane parts in an effort to retrieve data.
