United States Central Command has released new footage from strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic, with the video appearing to show the destruction of an Iranian Shahed-171 Simorgh stealth drone or its Shahed-191 version, one of Tehran’s most advanced unmanned aerial platforms.
The footage was released as the campaign entered its fifth week, according to a statement from CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, who said U.S. forces were continuing to degrade Iran’s military capabilities across multiple domains.
“Now in our 5th week of the campaign, it is my operational assessment that we are making undeniable progress. We don’t see their navy sailing. We don’t see their aircraft flying, and their air and missile defense systems have largely been destroyed,” Cooper said in the statement.
The newly released video reportedly captures a strike on an Iranian military site where the Shahed-171 Simorgh was present. The aircraft visible in the footage has been identified as the stealth drone, a platform that has drawn attention for its flying-wing configuration and close resemblance to the U.S. RQ-170 Sentinel.
The Shahed-171 is widely believed to be derived from the RQ-170, the U.S. stealth reconnaissance drone that Iran claimed to have captured in 2011. That incident became one of the most closely watched intelligence and technology episodes in the region, with Tehran later unveiling several indigenous drones that appeared to be based on the aircraft’s design.
Among them, the Shahed-171 Simorgh has emerged as one of Iran’s most advanced unmanned systems. Built around a low-observable flying-wing airframe, the platform is intended for reconnaissance and strike missions. Its shape and layout strongly resemble the original American design, though Iran has presented it as an indigenous system developed from reverse engineering and domestic production efforts.
The appearance of the Shahed-171 in the strike footage is notable because the platform has long been regarded as a high-value asset within Iran’s drone inventory. The system represents not only a military capability but also a symbol of Iran’s ability to adapt captured Western technology into operational weapons systems.