US military confirms Iran shot down its drone

Washington says attack on a US surveillance asset in international airspace was 'unprovoked'

WASHINGTON: The US military confirmed on Thursday that one of its drones was shot down but said the incident took place in international airspace, challenging Iran’s account that the US aircraft had been flying over Iranian territory.

“Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false,” said Navy Captain Bill Urban, a spokesperson for the US military’s Central Command.

“This was an unprovoked attack on a US surveillance asset in international airspace.”

He said the shoot-down took place in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 11:35pm GMT on June 19, 2019.

Iran had shot down a US military drone that it said was flying over one of its southern provinces on the Gulf, increasing fears of military conflict as Washington seeks to isolate Tehran over its nuclear and regional activities.

It was the latest in an escalating spate of incidents in the Gulf region, a critical artery for global oil supplies, since mid-May including explosive strikes on six oil tankers as Tehran and Washington have slid toward confrontation.