- Joined
- Jul 19, 2011
- Messages
- 27,870
- Points
- 113
U.S. was reportedly ready to strike Iran after drone incident but held back
The United States abruptly called off preparations for a military strike against Iran over the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, a U.S. official said, while Iran claimed Friday it had issued several warnings before shooting it down over what Iran said was its territory.
The Trump administration offered no immediate public account of the thinking behind the last-minute halt in U.S. preparations for retaliation, amid days of escalating tensions between the two countries. A U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss the operation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the targets would have included radars and missile batteries.
The swift reversal was a stark reminder of the serious risk of military conflict between U.S. and Iranian forces as the Trump administration combines a "maximum pressure" campaign of economic sanctions with a buildup of American forces in the region. As tensions mounted in recent weeks, there have been growing fears that either side could make a dire miscalculation that led to war.
The downing of the U.S. drone — a U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk, an unmanned aircraft with a wingspan larger than a Boeing 737 jetliner and costing over $100 million — prompted accusations from the U.S. and Iran about who was the aggressor. Iran insisted the drone violated Iranian airspace; Washington said it had been flying over international waters.
On Friday, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division told Iranian state television that Iran had warned a U.S. military surveillance drone several times before launching a missile at it.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh told state TV: "Unfortunately they did not answer."
The state television website published images it said showed debris from the surveillance drone. The pictures show what appears to be the skin of the Global Hawk.
Iranian state television did not say where the debris was filmed.
The United States abruptly called off preparations for a military strike against Iran over the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, a U.S. official said, while Iran claimed Friday it had issued several warnings before shooting it down over what Iran said was its territory.
The Trump administration offered no immediate public account of the thinking behind the last-minute halt in U.S. preparations for retaliation, amid days of escalating tensions between the two countries. A U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss the operation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the targets would have included radars and missile batteries.
The swift reversal was a stark reminder of the serious risk of military conflict between U.S. and Iranian forces as the Trump administration combines a "maximum pressure" campaign of economic sanctions with a buildup of American forces in the region. As tensions mounted in recent weeks, there have been growing fears that either side could make a dire miscalculation that led to war.
The downing of the U.S. drone — a U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk, an unmanned aircraft with a wingspan larger than a Boeing 737 jetliner and costing over $100 million — prompted accusations from the U.S. and Iran about who was the aggressor. Iran insisted the drone violated Iranian airspace; Washington said it had been flying over international waters.
On Friday, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division told Iranian state television that Iran had warned a U.S. military surveillance drone several times before launching a missile at it.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh told state TV: "Unfortunately they did not answer."
The state television website published images it said showed debris from the surveillance drone. The pictures show what appears to be the skin of the Global Hawk.
Iranian state television did not say where the debris was filmed.
PHOTO: US President Donald Trump has not followed the hawkish views of Mike Pompeo and John Bolton. (AP: Evan Vucci)
PHOTO: National Security Adviser John Bolton has advocated a "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran. (AP: Evan Vucci)
