Iran claims US drone downed, Qeshm blasts reported — Trump cites oil drop
Tehran blames US blockade for Hormuz unrest as talks remain deadlocked
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said its forces downed and captured a US MQM-170 drone near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to IRGC-affiliated media.
The claim could not be independently verified, and US Central Command dismissed it as false.
Iranian state media also reported five explosions in "rapid succession" on Qeshm Island, but no independent confirmation of the cause, target or casualties was available.
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The IRGC also claimed it had destroyed an MQ-9 east of the strait and downed another MQM-170 reconnaissance drone south of Qeshm, capturing both.
Infowar
The Pentagon has not confirmed the claims.
Earlier Iranian account claimed its forces seized another MQM-170 drone in the western Strait of Hormuz through an "electronic-warfare" operation, per Mehr News. US officials rejected that account as well.
Iranian media also reported that its forces destroyed an unmanned US vessel in the eastern Strait of Hormuz.
CentCom said all American unmanned surface vessels in the region were accounted for.
The competing claims come as Qatari-mediated talks continue in Doha, with both sides exchanging messages through intermediaries but reporting no breakthrough.
Qeshm blasts unconfirmed
IRNA said the Qeshm blasts came in rapid succession, and some residents reported two aircraft over the island.
Fars also reported explosions in waters off Bandar Lengeh. No attribution has been made.
The incidents came as Trump claimed on Truth Social that oil was “dropping like a rock” because people expect no war.
He said Iran wants a settlement as soon as possible, while Vice President JD Vance said progress had been made and no deadlines were set to resume strikes.
Tehran says nothing is settled.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the ball is in Washington’s court and that Hormuz cannot reopen until the US naval blockade ends.
A tanker was also hit off Saudi Arabia’s Ras Al Khafji on Nov. 1, and Axios reports Netanyahu is pressing Trump to strike Iran right after Tuesday’s midterms.
Iran reported four tankers "exploded" in the Strait of Hormuz.
'Oil prices dropping like a rock'
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said oil prices were “dropping like a rock” because people believe there will not be a war with Iran.
“Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible. It could happen!” he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump has repeatedly linked falling oil prices to the prospect of a diplomatic resolution. He said earlier that oil would “drop like a rock” once the conflict ended, and that Iran’s economy was under severe strain.
What’s next
The disputed drone and explosion claims highlight the information war surrounding the conflict. Verified facts matter for shipping safety, regional escalation risks and oil-market expectations, especially as diplomatic talks continue without a breakthrough.
Watch for US Central Command statements, independent verification of the Qeshm blasts and any CENTCOM response to Trump’s oil-price remarks. The outcome of Doha-mediated talks will shape whether tensions ease or escalate.
