Iran Shoots Down US Spy Drone

• 20 Jun 2019

Iran on 20^th June 2019, shot down a U.S. spy drone near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Relevance of the news: The event marks the high watermark in US-Iran stand-off after US imposed sanctions on Iran.

The Turn of Events:

• Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that it had brought down a US surveillance drone after it entered its country's airspace and warned of the consequences of such “illegal and provocative” measures.
• The US says the drone was flying in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and feels that Iran has made a very big mistake by taking down the drone.
• The move is likely to increase friction between Washington and Tehran. Trump announced on 17^th June that he would send 1,000 more troops to the Middle East in the wake of Iran crisis.
• The drone attack came at a time when Iran was already accused by US of having carried out explosions on two oil tankers in the Hormuz area recently.
• Iran denies having been behind the attacks but it has frequently threatened in the past to block the sea lanes passing through the Hormuz.