Trump: U.S. Shot Down Iranian Drone

Topline: President Trump said Thursday the U.S. shot down an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz, following Iran’s morning announcement that it captured an oil tanker nearby and further escalating tensions in the region.

• The U.S.S. Boxer shot down the unmanned drone in a “defensive action,” according to Trump, after the drone “closed into a near distance” and ignored “multiple calls to stand down.”
• “This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions against vessels operating in international waters,” said Trump.
• The tanker captured by the Revolutionary Guard Sunday off the island of Larak on Sunday was said to be transporting over 1 million liters of smuggled fuel. 
• Oil prices spiked by 1% in response to Iran capturing the tanker, before falling 1% by Thursday afternoon. The nearby Strait of Hormuz is a chokepoint for nearly 40% of the global oil supply, and prices are known to increase based on fears of conflict.
• Just two weeks ago, British forces captured an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibralter and reported they chased away Iranian vessels attempting to capture one of their tankers in retaliation.

Key background: Since the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. in 2018 from an international Obama-era agreement designed to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and imposed crippling economic sanctions on Iran, the Middle Eastern country has been involved with or blamed for various incidents in the region. In May and June, two different oil tanker attacks occurred off Iran’s coast. Iran denied involvement, but the U.S. blamed Iran for both incidents. Escalating tensions between the two countries—including Iran downing a U.S. Navy drone—led Iran to end all diplomacy with the United States. Iran also announced this month it exceeded the limit of enriched uranium as stipulated in the nuclear agreement after additional penalties were imposed following the tanker and drone incidents.