BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 28. Over the past few hours, 12 Israeli drones and American drones have been shot down in Iran, the Iranian military’s public relations department reported, Trend reports.
The report states that the drones, operating in various parts of the country, included both combat and reconnaissance types and were destroyed by forces of the Iranian Air Defense Headquarters.
Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East.
The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were seen as a last opportunity for a diplomatic resolution. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. On the morning of February 28, Israel and the U.S. began launching strikes on Iran from land, sea, and air.