— IRGC says it destroyed US surveillance balloon over Erbil, northern Iraq The 35-meter balloon can carry up to 500 kg of equipment and operate as a stationary airborne surveillance platform for weeks. It can also carry electronic intelligence, communications relay, and electronic warfare systems. The IRGC says the strike was part of a broader effort to remove US surveillance and early-warning systems from regional airspace.@TPOnowt.me/TPOnow/6458921September 6, 2026 291 1