Iran claims drone shot down by US military was conducting ‘lawful’ surveillance

The Iranian drone shot down by the U.S. military over the Arabian Sea was conducting surveillance as part of a “routine and lawful mission over international waters,” Iranian media is claiming. 

The Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), cited a source Wednesday as saying that the drone operated by the IRGC successfully transmitted reconnaissance photos to its command center before suffering a loss of communication. 

The source added that the drone was carrying out a “routine and lawful mission over international waters,” engaging in surveillance and imaging duties. 

The U.S. military had shot down the unmanned Iranian drone Tuesday after it “aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent,” a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesman previously told Fox News. 

US MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN IRANIAN DRONE APPROACHING USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN THE ARABIAN SEA, OFFICIAL SAYS

“USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was transiting the Arabian Sea approximately 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast when an Iranian Shahed-139 drone unnecessarily maneuvered toward the ship,” Capt. Tim Hawkins added. 

“The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters,” CENTCOM also said. “An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board.” 

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Hawkins said no U.S. service members were injured and no U.S. equipment was damaged during the incident.

USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Middle East after President Donald Trump said last week that, “A massive Armada is heading to Iran.”   

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Hawkins also told Fox News on Tuesday that, “During a separate incident hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, IRGC forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel lawfully transiting the international sea passage.”