The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says its forces have destroyed four oil tankers attempting to cross a prohibited passage south of the Strait of Hormuz, detained two other vessels, and shot down the 56th US MQ-9 drone over the strategic waterway.

In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC Public Relations Department said the operations were carried out by its naval and aerospace forces as Iran marked the 248th night of historic uprising.

“Four oil tankers violating maritime restrictions and attempting to cross the prohibited passage south of the Strait of Hormuz were destroyed after striking naval mines and remain engulfed in flames, while two other vessels violating the restrictions have been stopped,” it said.

The IRGC further announced that its aerospace force shot down the 56th MQ-9 drone at 4:30 a.m. local time by an advanced air defense system over the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Islamic warriors stand ready, with their fingers on the trigger, to deliver the final blow to the child-killing Zionist regime and the aggressor United States,” the statement said.

It also declared that November 4 would mark a defeat for the United States comparable to its defeat in 1979, saying the world would witness “a defeat as great as the defeat of global arrogance against the Islamic Revolution in 1979.”

Three trespassing tankers erupt in ‘massive fires’ after hitting mines in Hormuz: IRGC Navy

Three oil tankers have gone up in blaze after striking naval mines while navigating unauthorized routes in the Strait of Hormuz, the IRGC Navy says.

Iran closed the strategic chokepoint following the launch of the latest round of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the country on February 28.

The Islamic Republic and the United States agreed on a 60-day reopening period as part of a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding in June.

Iran established the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) to implement the understanding, but American violations forced the country to re-establish the closure.

Tehran has conditioned reopening of the waterway on the realization of seven prerequisites.

The Islamic Republic has previously identified cessation of aggression on all fronts, elimination of an illegal naval blockade imposed by the United States against the country, removal of illegal sanctions, and unfreezing of Iranian assets as some of the main conditions to be met by Washington.