1. Home
  2. Current Affairs
  3. Current News
  4. Iran Shoots Down US Spy Drone

Iran Shoots Down US Spy Drone

  • 20 Jun 2019

Iran on 20th June 2019, shot down a U.S. spy drone near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Relevance of the news: The event marks the high watermark in US-Iran stand-off after US imposed sanctions on Iran.

The Turn of Events:

  • Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that it had brought down a US surveillance drone after it entered its country's airspace and warned of the consequences of such “illegal and provocative” measures.
  • The US says the drone was flying in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and feels that Iran has made a very big mistake by taking down the drone.
  • The move is likely to increase friction between Washington and Tehran. Trump announced on 17th June that he would send 1,000 more troops to the Middle East in the wake of Iran crisis.
  • The drone attack came at a time when Iran was already accused by US of having carried out explosions on two oil tankers in the Hormuz area recently.
  • Iran denies having been behind the attacks but it has frequently threatened in the past to block the sea lanes passing through the Hormuz.