President Trump said Iran “made a very big mistake” Thursday morning after the Islamic Republic shot-down an American drone operating in international airspace; telling reporters they will “soon find out” the administration’s response to the unprovoked attack.
Trump was speaking with reporters at the White House when he was asked if his administration planned to retaliate against Iran’s aggression.
“You’ll soon find out,” said the Commander-in-Chief.
“Iran made a very big mistake!” he posted on social media.
“Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false,” the U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset in international airspace.”
Iran made a very big mistake!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2019
Original story:
A US Navy Drone was shot-down over the Strait of Hormuz early Thursday in what Pentagon officials are describing as an “unprovoked attack” by Iran.
“A U.S. Navy high-altitude drone was shot down Thursday by an Iranian surface-to-air missile over the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region after last week’s attacks on two oil tankers, according to military officials,” reports Fox News.
“U.S. Central Command said in a statement the that a U.S. Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance ISR aircraft, known as a BAMS-D, was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile system while operating in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 7:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday,” adds Fox.
“Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false,” Capt. Bill Urban, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, said in a statement. “This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset in international airspace.”
According to US officials, the pilot-less plane -approximately the same size as Boeing 737- was flying 17 miles from Iranian airspace when it was shot down by a single surface-to-air missile.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
BREAKING NOW: Iran Shoots Down US Navy Drone, Pentagon Says ‘Unprovoked Attack’ by Tehran
A US Navy Drone was shot-down over the Strait of Hormuz early Thursday in what Pentagon officials are describing as an “unprovoked attack” by Iran.
“A U.S. Navy high-altitude drone was shot down Thursday by an Iranian surface-to-air missile over the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region after last week’s attacks on two oil tankers, according to military officials,” reports Fox News.
“U.S. Central Command said in a statement the that a U.S. Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance ISR aircraft, known as a BAMS-D, was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile system while operating in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 7:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday,” adds Fox.
“Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false,” Capt. Bill Urban, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, said in a statement. “This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset in international airspace.”
According to US officials, the pilot-less plane -approximately the same size as Boeing 737- was flying 17 miles from Iranian airspace when it was shot down by a single surface-to-air missile.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
BREAKING NOW: Secretary of State Pompeo Says IRAN RESPONSIBLE for ‘Blatant Assault’ on Oil Tankers
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly blamed Iran for the “blatant assault” on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman Thursday.
“In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Pompeo said the U.S. had come to the conclusion based on intelligence, the type of weapons used and the sophistication of the assaults,” reports Fox News. “He charged that Iran is working to disrupt the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz and are a deliberate part of a campaign to escalate tension.”
“His comments came shortly after a senior U.S. defense official told Fox News that it saw an unexploded mine attached to the hull of the Panama-listed, Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous ship, one of the two ships attacked. It is the same type of mine used to damage four oil tankers last month in the same area – an attack senior Pentagon officials blamed on Iran,” adds the report.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Original report from earlier today:
A suspected torpedo attack severely damaged two oil-tankers in the Gulf of Oman Thursday; prompting the US Navy’s Fifth fleet to evacuate the crew.
“Two oil tankers were damaged in a suspected attack off the Gulf of Oman early Thursday, prompting the rescue of dozens of crew members,” reports Fox News. “The U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet told Reuters it was assisting two tankers in the Gulf of Oman after receiving two distress calls. Details of the incident were unclear, but one of the operators made an unconfirmed report that a torpedo had hit its ship.”
“We are aware of the reported attack on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. Naval Forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local time and a second one at 7:00 a.m.,” Joshua Frey of the Fifth Fleet said.
“International Tanker Management, which operates the MT Front Altair said an explosion had caused a fire onboard. The firm told the Associated Press the incident is still being investigated and it was unclear what caused the explosion. Its 23 crew members were evacuated by the nearby South Korean-based Hyundai Dubai Vessel and are now safe, the firm said,” adds Fox.
“Following two attacks on Member vessels this morning, I am extremely worried about the safety of our crews going through the Strait of Hormuz,” Paolo d’Amico, chairman of INTERTANKO, said in a statement.
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