US Navy convoy in the Strait of Hormuz. Wikipedia
American general thinks US shot down a second Iranian drone
An American general thinks that the United States has shot down a second Iranian drone, but he is not certain. In an interview with CBS, Kenneth McKenzie said he thought a second drone was shot down on July 18 over the Strait of Hormuz.
Published: July 25, 2019, 8:37 am
Washington
According to the commander of US forces in the Middle East, it may have been “possible”. General McKenzie said in an interview with CBS: “As always, it was a complex tactical situation. We think two drones have been [targeted] successfully. We are sure to have destroyed a drone, it is possible that we have destroyed a second.”
In a statement, a spokesman for the US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed that the USS Boxer had “taken defensive action against two drones in international waters.”
“We watched one of the drones crash into the water but we did not see a splash for the other,” said Lt. Col. Earl Brown. “The United States reserves the right to defend its personnel, facilities and interests and calls on all nations to condemn any attempt to interfere with the freedom of navigation and international trade,” he said.
US President Donald Trump announced on July 18 that an American ship, the USS Boxer, had destroyed a dangerous Iranian UAV over the Strait, which Tehran denied, calling the announcement “delusional and unfounded allegations”.
Donald Trump rejected the Iranian denials but the Pentagon has not released any photographs of the incident.
The liar poker game is continuing between Iran and the United States as the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran confirmed on July 19 that all drones dispatched on mission the day before were “well back” at their base.
Spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Abdolfazl Shekarchi, quoted by the private news agency Tasnim, said: “There has been no report of a clash with the USS Boxer.”
While visiting United Nations headquarters in New York, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, was questioned on the subject. He said he had “no information on the loss of a drone”.
On July 19, on Twitter, Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Minister, also denied the loss of the device. “We have not lost any drones in the Strait of Hormuz or elsewhere. I am concerned that the USS Boxer has shot down its own UAS [UAV or RPAS] by mistake!” said the diplomat.
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