Iran’s military says it has shot down an Israeli Orbiter drone over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of the morning.

The drone was detected, tracked and engaged by Iran’s Army air defence systems under the integrated network of the country’s Joint Air Defence Headquarters, The Caspian Post reports, citing Fars News Agency.

According to Fars, the aircraft was identified as an Orbiter, a family of tactical unmanned aerial vehicles manufactured by Israel’s Aeronautics Defense Systems. The drones are designed for reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence-gathering missions.

They are widely used by ground forces and in border operations due to their small size, low acoustic signature, rapid deployment capability and ability to operate without a runway.

Equipped with electro-optical and thermal imaging systems, Orbiter drones are capable of transmitting real-time video and data to operators, supporting target identification, monitoring movements and operational coordination. More advanced variants are reported to have extended range and endurance, Fars added.