Breaking: Tensions on the Rise as Trump Announces US Navy Shot Down Iranian Drone
President Donald Trump said at the White House on Thursday that the United States Navy had shot down an Iranian drone that was flying over the Strait of Hormuz.
The drone came within 1,000 yards of the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, Trump said.
BREAKING: US Navy shot down #Iran Drone over Hormuz Today. It came 1000 yard to US ship (Trump tells reporters) https://t.co/k8HLd1IpJa
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) July 18, 2019
Moreover, it did not obey “multiple calls to stand down,” the president added, according to CNN, “and was threatening the safety of the ship and the ship’s crew.”
“The Boxer took defensive action against an Iranian drone,” Trump said, per CNBC.
As a result, the drone “was immediately destroyed.”
Trump decried Iran’s actions in international waters against ships belonging to other nations.
“This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters,” Trump said.
“The United States reserves the right to defend our personnel, our facilities and interest and calls upon all nations to condemn Iran’s attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and global commerce,” he added.
MORE: Trump said that the Iranian drone’s actions were “the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran” pic.twitter.com/1mhzVOIR67
— Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) July 18, 2019
The U.S., Trump said, “reserves [the] right to defend our personnel, facilities, condemn iran’s attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and global commerce.”
Moreover, other nations should “protect their ships as they go through the straight and work with us in the future,” he added.
Trump: “This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters.”
US reserves right to defend personnel, facilities.
Calls on “all nations to condemn Iran’s attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation & global commerce” pic.twitter.com/ofB1TwIemm
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 18, 2019
The Pentagon confirmed the incident in a statement to CNBC.
“At approximately 10 a.m. local time, the amphibious ship USS Boxer was in international waters conducting a planned inbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz,” the Pentagon said.
“A fixed wing unmanned aerial system (UAS) approached Boxer and closed within a threatening range. The ship took defensive action against the UAS to ensure the safety of the ship and its crew,” the statement added.
As The Hill noted, this incident comes roughly a month after Iran shot down a U.S. drone, which it claimed had flown over its airspace.
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