U.S. claims Iran shot down American drones prior to oil tanker attacks

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.axios.com/iran-oil-tankers-us-drones-e7ed44d5-4036-42d4-a4e0-04bba5a46fc4.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic


The Norwegian-owned Front Altair tanker, which was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Iranian forces reportedly shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone in the hours before Thursday's attack on two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official tells CNN.

Why it matters: Heightened tensions and hawkish American rhetoric in the wake of Thursday's incident have brought back recently reduced fears that the U.S. could be on course for war with Iran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Trump have accused Iran of being responsible for the oil tanker attacks based on U.S. intelligence that has not been made public.

The administration released a video on Friday purporting to show Iran’s Revolutionary Guard removing a mine from one of the oil tankers after the attack. "It’s probably got essentially Iran written all over it," Trump said in a Fox & Friends interview, referring to the video.

<snip>

The other side: The Iranian mission to the U.N. dismissed accusations of orchestrating the oil tanker attack as "unfounded" on Thursday and called for an immediate dialogue to reduce pressure and prevent "the reckless and dangerous policies and practices of the U.S."

Iran's president also said Saturday the country would continue to scale back its compliance with provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal until other parties tot he agreement show "positive signs," Reuters reports.

I read yesterday the drone wasn't shot down.

[democratisphere]

1. President Liar lies so much nothing is believable.

President Chaos created all of the tensions in the Middle East.

[spanone]

2. Tomorrow it will be something else....the world ain't buying it don.

[uponit7771]

3. K&R, "... yeah ... yeah ... Iran did it with stealth Nerf missals too !!..." :rolleyes@MAGACult

[rampartc]

4. perhaps if donny had spent the last 72 years protecting his reputation for honesty

and i'd like to state that shooting down a drone is not a cause for war, or even complaint.

[NightWatcher]

5. Any chance the drone hit the ship and the Iranians saw it?

[Dennis Donovan]

6. Yes. n/t

[Docreed2003]

7. That was exactly my thought

The Japanese are adamant that the attack wasn't a mine that it came from the air.

[bahrbearian]

8. The Reaper drone, the one with missiles and projectiles , strange.

The Reaper has an endurance of 14 hours when fully loaded with munitions. The MQ-9 carries a variety of weapons including the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb, the AGM-114 Hellfire II air-to-ground missiles, the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM).