A senior Iranian commander on Saturday claimed that Iran’s air defence forces successfully intercepted and destroyed more than 160 US-Israeli drones, along with multiple hostile fighter jets, highlighting the growing capabilities of the country’s domestically developed military technology.

Brigadier General Alireza Elhami, commander of the Khatam Al Anbiya Joint Air Defence Headquarters, made the announcement on Saturday, emphasising that Iranian military units remained fully capable of tracking and neutralising advanced enemy aircraft.

“The latest successes are indebted to the strenuous efforts and self-sacrifices of personnel from both the army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),” Elhami said.

According to Elhami, the drones neutralised included MQ-9 Reaper, Hermes, LUCAS, and other types, all intercepted before they could carry out strikes.

In addition, Iranian air defence units reportedly targeted and damaged several generation-4 and generation-5 fighter jets.

He credited these achievements to a combination of homegrown tactics, modern domestically produced equipment, and Iran’s integrated air defence network.

“Our personnel remain determined to defend Iran’s airspace around the clock,” Elhami added, noting that their resilience has surprised adversaries.