Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Monday that it intercepted and destroyed a US Army MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said the drone was brought down by its new advanced aerospace air defense system, operating as part of Iran's integrated air defense network, The Caspian Post reports, citing Mehr news agency.

The force claimed Washington had returned the MQ-1 to service after suffering heavy losses among its MQ-9 fleet.

It said the MQ-1, known as the "Beast of Kandahar" after logging about 20,000 flight hours over Afghanistan, had been retired from US military service and replaced by the MQ-9.

After the destruction of a large portion of the MQ-9 fleet, the US has been forced to use this drone, the IRGC said.