Flying Object Crashes, Debris Fall In Iranian City Of Gorgan

Iranian state media reported the crash of a military object in a residential area in the northern city of Gorgan, which the Defense Ministry calls "a malfunction in a military system."

Defense Ministry spokesperson said Monday, "In the process of testing defense and drone systems in a desert region, one of these systems suffered a technical defect and deviated from its main path."

He confirmed that debris fell in and around the city of Gorgan. No casualties have been reported, but several residential buildings have been damaged, according to videos sent to Iran International.

Various Iranian news outlets have disseminated photographs and videos showing a charred object on a street. The incident has also resulted in damage to nearby shops and vehicles, including shattered windows. In response, the local police have established a secure perimeter around the affected area.

Chief of Police for Golestan province, Mohammad Saeed Fazel Dadgar, claimed in an interview with the semi-official Tasnim news agency that the situation is under control. He additionally noted that some debris from the object had fallen in various parts of the city.

Furthermore, the IRNA state news agency reported that "the sound of the explosion resulting from the drone's impact resonated throughout the entire city."

In February, Iran attributed a drone attack on a military workshop in its central city of Esfahan to Israel. Israel has conducted a series of strikes targeting Iran's nuclear program and other facilities since the collapse of Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with the West, marking a protracted covert conflict between the two Middle Eastern adversaries.

While Israeli authorities seldom confirm actions undertaken by the nation's covert military units or its Mossad intelligence agency, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently regarded Iran as the most significant threat to his country's security.