Iran shoots down a U.S. drone as situation veers ever closer to conflict
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On Wednesday evening, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard shot down a U.S. MQ-4C Triton drone. Iran claims that the drone was flying in Iranian airspace. The United States denies this and says the drone was in international airspace. But either way, the actionIran shoots down a U.S. drone as situation veers ever closer to conflict
On Wednesday evening, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard shot down a U.S. MQ-4C Triton drone. Iran claims that the drone was flying in Iranian airspace. The United States denies this and says the drone was in international airspace. But either way, the action increases the risk of direct military conflict between the United States and Iran. U.S. officials confirmed the shoot-down of the Triton, a long-range surveillance drone capable of flying for over 30 hours at speeds of almost 400 mph. It is not known to carry weapons, but can serve as an acquisition system, pointing out targets for missiles and aircraft. Iran claims that the Triton was shot down using a Sayyad surface-to-air missile that is part of Iran’s Raad air defense system. The Iranian-designed missiles have a range of about 60 miles. Iran broadcast the claims of the action soon after it occurred. According to CNN, a Revolutionary Guard leader signaled that the shoot-down was “a warning to the U.S,” and that Iran does “not want war with any country, but we are completely, and totally, ready and prepared for war.« U.S. Central Command spokesperson Bill Urban confirmed that the drone had been downed, but denied that the drone had been in Iranian airspace. »Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false,« said Urban. »This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset in international airspace." The incident comes just days after the United States deployed 1,000 additional troops and additional military equipment to the region, and a week after the release of a video that the administration claimed showed Iranian forces removing an unexploded mine from the side of a tanker. The tanker was one of two damaged last week by what the U.S. described as limpet mines deployed by Iran, though the tanker’s owner has disagreed with U.S. reports. U.S. analysts indicated Iran as the only likely suspect in the tanker attacks, and Trump appeared on Fox News to say, “It was them that did it.” The downing of the Triton may not have led to any injuries, but it seems all too similar to an incident 30 years ago in which a U.S. warship sent into the Straits of Hormuz by Ronald Reagan struck what was identified as an Iranian mine—and kicked off a brief but deadly exchange. Read more