Tension rises in the Gulf: Iran announced this morning that it had shot down an American spy drone who had violated its airspace.
In a statement, the Pasdarans explain that their aerospace defense forces shot down an unmanned US RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft this morning that is used to provide information. The drone, according to the Iranian reconstruction, was located in the air territory of the district of Kouhmobarak, in the southern Iranian province of Hormuzgan, which overlooks the Strait of Ormuz, a strategic hub for the supply of world oil.
Immediately after the announcement, US Central Command spokesman Bill Urban, quoted by the Associated Press, stated that there was no drone over Iranian territory. A little later, however, a US military officer confirmed the demolition but pointed out to Reuters that the shot down is an MQ-4C Triton. No image of the aircraft flying over Iran has been spread so far.
The incident comes in a context of exacerbated relations between the two countries and growing fears that the tension may degenerate into open conflict: Washington has accused Tehran of being behind the recent attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The United States has deployed weapons in the region, while Iran says its armed forces are ready to defend the country.