Iran Fires on US Drone Over Gulf

Iranian air defenses fired on an American drone flying near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

Tehran’s state media confirmed Iranian defense systems launched warning shots at an unmanned U.S. aircraft “near the border of our country.” The drone escaped the standoff unharmed.

The attack occurs at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, especially surrounding the use of drones. A drone struck the Israeli-operated tanker Mercer Street in July, killing two. U.S. Central Command confirmed in early August they suspect the drone to be of Iranian origin.

“Verified components of the Iranian one-way attack [drone] were identical to previously identified Iranian unmanned one-way attack systems,” Central Command said. “Explosives experts were able to recover several pieces of this [drone] … which were nearly identical to previously collected examples of Iranian one-way attack [drones].”

Wednesday’s launch on a U.S. drone is not the first time Iran has threatened U.S. military equipment over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces shot down an American surveillance drone in June 2019, sparking an international crisis.

State Department spokesman Ned Price did not address the attack in Wednesday and Thursday briefings. Price will not hold a briefing on Friday.

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