A US spy drone was shot down by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard over the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. According to a report via Iranian state television, the US made RQ-4 Global Hawk spy drone was taken down using a surface-to-air missile as it was flying over Iran’s territory, in the province of Hozmogan respectively.

The Revolutionary Guard official website claims that the drone entered Iran’s airspace near Kouhmobarak, a small southern district. However, Iran did not provide video footage with the downed drone, while US Central Command spokesman Navy Captain Bill Urban told AP that the Global Hawk drone never flew over Iranian territory, more precisely the unmanned e drone was shot down in international airspace.

The incident on Thursday is the first direct attack against US assets by Iran’s army and it arrives in the aftermath of US imposing crippling economic sanctions on the Islamic republic. Two US officials told Al Jazeera that an Iranian surface to air missile downed a MQ-4C Triton US Navy drone over the Strait of Hormuz in international airspace.

- Advertisement -

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard General Hossein Salami said on Thursday that Iran is not looking to go to war with the US or anyone else, but it’s ready for war. The statement was made live on Iranian state television. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said on Wednesday for Tasnim news agency that, let me quote:

“Our airspace is our red line and Iran has always responded and will continue to respond strongly to any country that violates our airspace”

Gen. Hossein Salami also said that the shooting down of the spy-drone sent a clear message to the US.

The Pentagon has sent aircraft carriers, additional troops and B52 bombers to the Middle East amid increasing tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the US, following President Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Teheran. Moreover, the US imposed crippling economic sanctions on Iran, while President Trump said repeatedly that the US does not seek war with the Ayatollah regime.

Photo via Reuters