Iran shoots down U.S. drone near Strait of Hormuz

(Image credit: Bob Brown/U.S. Navy photo via Northrop Grumman)

published 20 June 2019

Iran and the U.S. agree that Iran's paramilitary Islamic Republican Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down a U.S. drone early Thursday, but the two countries offered different versions of the type of drone and where it was flying when hit with Iran's surface-to-air missile. Iran said it brought down a U.S. Navy RQ-4 Global Hawk "spy" drone after it crossed into Iranian airspace, but U.S. officials tell Reuters that the MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drone was in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz.

Tensions are high between Iran and the U.S. after a series of tanker attacks the U.S. blames on Iran, following punishing U.S. sanctions and efforts to scuttle an international 2015 nuclear deal. IRGC commander Gen. Hossein Salami said in a televised speech that the "the downing of the American drone was a clear message to America" that "our borders are our red line" and "any enemy that violates the borders will be annihilated." Iran doesn't "have any intention for war with any country, but we are fully ready for war," he added.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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