FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates — A U.S. drone was shot down in international airspace above the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, a U.S. official said, contradicting a claim by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard that it had shot down the aircraft after it entered that country’s airspace.
The U.S. official said that a surface-to-air missile hit the RQ-4 Global Hawk in international airspace above the strait. The official said U.S. officials consider it an unprovoked attack.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement early Thursday that the U.S.-made Global Hawk surveillance drone was brought down by its air force near the Kouh-e Mobarak region, which sits in the central district of Jask County, after the aircraft violated Iranian airspace.
The head of Iran’s national security council said the country’s airspace is in its red line, and there would have been a firm response regardless of which country trespassed.
Central Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban previously said that “no U.S. drone was operating in Iranian airspace today.”
The report of the downed drone comes amid rising tensions in the region, with U.S. officials blaming Iran for what they said was an attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Iran has denied any involvement.
Central Command has called that incident a limpet mine attack. The U.S. military said Wednesday that one of the tankers sabotaged in the Middle East was attacked with limpet mines that "bear a striking resemblance" to devices in Iran’s arsenal.
Iran denial all the allegations against it.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced Monday that the Trump administration would send 1,000 additional troops to the region.
Shanahan said that the decision to increase forces was a response to a request from Central Command to address air, naval and ground-based threats.
The U.S. official said that a surface-to-air missile hit the RQ-4 Global Hawk in international airspace above the strait. The official said U.S. officials consider it an unprovoked attack.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement early Thursday that the U.S.-made Global Hawk surveillance drone was brought down by its air force near the Kouh-e Mobarak region, which sits in the central district of Jask County, after the aircraft violated Iranian airspace.
The head of Iran’s national security council said the country’s airspace is in its red line, and there would have been a firm response regardless of which country trespassed.
Central Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban previously said that “no U.S. drone was operating in Iranian airspace today.”
The report of the downed drone comes amid rising tensions in the region, with U.S. officials blaming Iran for what they said was an attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Iran has denied any involvement.
Central Command has called that incident a limpet mine attack. The U.S. military said Wednesday that one of the tankers sabotaged in the Middle East was attacked with limpet mines that "bear a striking resemblance" to devices in Iran’s arsenal.
Iran denial all the allegations against it.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced Monday that the Trump administration would send 1,000 additional troops to the region.
Shanahan said that the decision to increase forces was a response to a request from Central Command to address air, naval and ground-based threats.
Russia and China have separately warn US to desist from escalating tension in the middle east and stop provocations against Iran!
By Courtney Kube, Phil Helsel and Ali Arouzi
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