President Trump announced today that the USS Boxer has destroyed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz after it came within 1,000 yards of the ship and ignored stand down orders.
The President said:
“I want to apprise everyone of an incident in the Strait of Hormuz today involving USS Boxer a navy amphibious assault ship. The Boxer took defensive action against an Iranian Drone which had closed into a very very near distance: approximately 1000 yards. Ignoring multiple calls to stand down and was threatening the safety of the ship and the ship’s crew. The drone was immediately destroyed.
This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters. The United States reserves the right to defend our personnel our facilities and interests and calls on all nations to condemn Iran’s attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and global commerce. I also call on other nations to protect their ships as they go through the strait and to work with us in the future.
BREAKING: US has “destroyed” an Iranian drone in Strait of Hormuz, President Trump says; asserts that the drone ignored warnings from USS Boxer to stand down as it neared the ship. pic.twitter.com/oQh9ZuhCju
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 18, 2019
As the President pointed out, this incident is just the latest example of many hostile actions Iran has taken against other nations.
In June, the Islamic nation shot down a U.S. drone flying in international air space in the Strait of Hormuz and attacked two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
