The U.S. Air Force MQ-9 was likely downed by an Iranian-provided surface-to-air missile fired by an Iranian-affiliated Iraqi group, U.S. officials said. The MQ-9 was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the anti-ISIS mission, a senior U.S. military official added.

The drone crashed near the Balad Air Base and was recovered by Iraqi Security Forces.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iraqi militias supported by Tehran, claimed that it shot down the MQ-9 over Diyala Province after it took off from Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait.