US announced that its Navy ship had "destroyed" an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz after the aircraft threatened the vessel, while Iran said it had no information about losing a drone.
Amid heightened tensions between both countries following the American withdrawal from the nuclear treaty signed in 2015, US President Donald Trump told an event at the White House that the drone had flown to within 1,000 yards (meters) of the USS Boxer and had ignored "multiple calls to stand down."
"This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters. The United States reserves the right to defend our personnel, facilities and interests," Trump said. “The drone was immediately destroyed.”
In return, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that Tehran had “no information about losing a drone today."
On its part, the Pentagon said that the USS Boxer had taken "defensive action" against a drone on Thursday morning, as the Boxer was moving into the Strait of Hormuz.
“We do assess it was an Iranian drone," said Commander Rebecca Rebarich, a Pentagon spokeswoman.
Tensions have been growing in the region, as the increased use of drones by Iran and its allies for surveillance and attacks across the Middle East is raising alarms in Washington.
In June, Iran shot down a US military surveillance drone in the Gulf with a surface-to-air missile. Iran says the drone was in its airspace. Back then; Trump said the United States had come close to launching a military strike on Iran in retaliation for the downing of the U.S. drone.
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