US shoots down Iranian drone

Tension is heightening between Washington and Tehran.

The United States shot down an Iranian drone on Thursday over the Strait of Hormuz, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

According to US President Donald Trump, the Iranian drone approached within 1,000 metres of the USS Boxer, which took “defensive action”.

“This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters. The United States reserves the right to defend our personnel, our facilities, and interests and calls upon all nations to condemn Iran’s attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and global commerce. I also call on other nations to protect their ships as they go through the Strait and to work with us in the future. Thank you very much. I thought you should know that.”

During a meeting in New York with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Thursday Iranian diplomacy chief Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday he had “no information on the loss of a drone.”

On June 20, Iran shot down an American drone that it believed was in its airspace.

Two days later, Donald Trump claimed to have cancelled reprisal strikes to avoid the carnage, while maintaining his threats against Tehran.