Iran Shoots Down United States Drone

Early this morning, June 20, 2019, a United States drone was “shot down in international air space over the Strait of Hormuz”, the strategic waterway where a week ago two oil tankers exploded and which the U.S. subsequently blamed Iran for (1, 2). Iran, however, claimed “the violating airplane was over Iranian territory, [when it] was shot down” and for such a “violation of Iran’s airspace by foreign flying object… violators are responsible for the consequences of their actions” (3). General Hossein Salami of the Iranian Republic Guard said in a statement today that “shooting down the American spy drone had a clear [message that]… Iran will decisively respond to the violation of any stranger to this land. The only solution for the enemies is to respect the territorial integrity and national interests of Iran” ; adding that Iran does “not intend to engage in war with any country, but [they] are completely ready for the war” (4). Captain Bill Urban, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, responded to the Iranian claim of the drone’s location saying “Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false,… [and this] was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset in international airspace” (5).

1. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-usa/iran-shoots-down-us-military-drone-in-gulf-region-idUSKCN1TL07P
2. https://www.newtrals.com/news/two-oil-tankers-bombed-at-sea-near-strait-of-hormuz/
3. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/20/middleeast/iran-drone-claim-hnk-intl/index.html
4. https://abcnews.go.com/International/iran-shoots-american-drone-international-airspace-us-official/story?id=63825990
5. https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-navy-drone-shot-down-by-iranian-missile-over-strait-of-hormuz-source