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Subscribe to RSSIran fired on a U.S. drone during its classified surveillance mission on Nov. 1, but the Pentagon did not disclose the incident until Nov. 8 -- perhaps giving warning to Iran that the U.S. could respond militarily, and that Iran's nuclear program will be a high priority for President Obama. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
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Two Iranian jets fired on a U.S. military drone, Pentagon officials said Thursday — the first time such an action has been acknowledged by the United States.
At 4:50 a.m. EDT on Nov. 1, an Iranian SU-25 Frog Foot jet fired on a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone that was conducting routine surveillance in international waters over the Arabian Gulf, Pentagon spokesman George Little said. The unarmed Predator was approximately 16 nautical miles off the Iranian coast when the Iranian jet began firing and was never in Iranian airspace, he said.
But a senior defense official said two Iranian ground-attack jets were involved in the incident. The jets circled the Predator several times, firing 30-millimeter cannons at the unarmed drone.
"We don't know why," the Iranians were shooting at the drone, the official said, insisting the drone did not cross into Iranian airspace. The drone was "conducting routine maritime surveillance, watching ships," the official said.
The Iranian jets followed the Predator for several miles before turning away. The drone returned safely to base and wasn't hit by the Iranian gunfire.
President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were notified of the incident early that morning, the Pentagon said. The White House would not comment on the incident, but a senior administration official confirmed to NBC News that Obama was told the day of the incident.
Asked whether the Iranian jet was firing warning shots, Little said the jet "fired to take it down." He would not speculate on whether this constitutes an act of war.
The United States informed the Iranians that the U.S. military will continue surveillance flights over the international waters of the Arabian Gulf. Little said that was communicated by the State Department through Swiss officials.
Asked why the incident is just being revealed now — more than one week after the incident and just two days after the presidential election — Little said that the Pentagon does not talk about classified missions. He said that the information had been leaked to the media so he is acknowledging it.
"There is absolutely no precedent" for an incident like this, he said.
The United States and its allies — concerned about what they believe is Iran’s efforts to develop a nuclear weapons program and potential threat to Israel — have imposed a series of sanctions in an effort to get Tehran to back down.
On Thursday, the State Department announced another set of U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian government officials and departments that it says have blocked the Internet and other media, and otherwise prevented freedom of information and expression among the populace.
NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker contributed to this report.
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So where are the treason comments now that another of Obummmers monkeys let the cat out of the bag again. Says right in the article that Little only acknowledged the information because once again it had leaked out. Amazing, when will this bozo realize that he and his cohearts need to be charged for treason.
Most military operations are classified.
Paranoid right wing losers are a good reason why...
The drone was only 16 miles from the Iranian coast. I guess they did shoot at it. Would the U.S. shoot down a terrorist countries drone if it was 16 miles from reaching NY? WTF. Either they really suck at video games or missed it on purpose just to send us a message.
"Obama to base. Obama to base. We're losing altitude. We're inverted. .. We're going in. mayday mayday.. Can I have a flying lesson now?" (The ojt POTUS strikes again.) Closer to the cliff
The White House would not comment on the incident....
Anyone else tired of hearing this? Transparency my a 55
Good! Let's fire back! That is easy! Done!
Probably was a warning shot, I really do think they could have shot it down. Just seems If Iran flew a drone 16 miles off our coast, we would @!$%# a brick. But its ok for us to do it to them. Little unfair, when other country's see it.
How about learning something while your drinking the obama kool-aid; the Rusians and Chineese have submarines right off our coast in international waters all the time, but we don't sink them. That's why its called "international". Please do a little research before trying to talk with adults.
"Little said that the Predator was never in Iranian airspace."
Yeah, right.
A miss is as good as a mile.
So, because "the information was leaked to the media they were acknowledging it"?? REALLY? They don't run this way ordinarily (area 51, anyone?). I call BS on this one. I wonder what else there is to the "story"? For instance, how did they know the jet was firing on the drone? I'm curious.
With that said it should be our turn now. Raptor drivers can eliminate ANY threat from the Iranian Airforce with over-the-horizon technology. Why waste the fuel and airtime going after these butt sniffing people or is it butt smelling. Either way, good job USAF with the Predator. The Reaper is now coming on-line with even better technology and firepower. The day will come when pilotless drones cruise the skies like in The Terminator. Hopefully, we can terminate many of the Hispanics back to Mexico. Wal-Marts beware.
I'll bet this will be the big story on faux news today. It will distract attention from the teabagger election math fiasco.
Enough, already. The elections are OVER. Be satisfied and MOVE ON.
Why does it always have to be a political thing????? Romney.... Obama..... who cares. A foreign military craft firing upon an American military craft IS an ACT of WAR. Most of you are now going to say, it was unmanned therefore there was no threat to our service members. Air craft sitting on the deck of an aircraft carrier are generally unmanned also. So, can they shoot at them???? Assuming the carrier is in international water. Hell NO!!! As a veteran I take it personnally when a foreign military fires upon our military in any way shape or form. Get your panties out of your cracks and stand up against aggression, otherwise just go ahead and plant your head in the sand and hope it all goes away. Cowering from the enemy does not stop the enemy. It only emboldens the enemy.
dh matthews - I'm pretty sure we used drones to attack Yemen and Pakistan but denied that those were acts of war. Apparently action by drone isn't an act of war so why would shooting at one be an act of war?
mathews...but the aggressors are the USA. I do wonder why we cower to our Military Government but with NDAA its becoming more clear.
Julea - You recognize don't you that the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the military and any acts of aggression are under his direction and have been for the past four years.
Yes Brian, thats why I voted Jill Stein.
Julea - Thank you. Personally I voted for Gary Johnson.
They should have just turned the drone around and crashed into the jet.
Fired two rounds and did not hit the unmanned drone - Really??
Iranian fighter pilots can't hit a flying robot? Then they fly away?
This statement suggests there have been other times -- so what's the big whoop now? . . . why is this only the first time the U.S. openly acknowledged this? I don't believe the "because it was leaked" story at all. And if it was "leaked", they were probably the ones who leaked it . . . This is a clear signal that the Pentagon is up to something. Afterall, they exist only to deter or make war . . . wonder what the next "first-time acknowledgement" will be?
A direct consequence of having Obama in office another 4 years. No respect or fear of the U.S. (Oh, and the fallout and radiation is worse than the damage caused by the initial blast of a nuclear bomb. And it only takes one to render an useless for thousands of years.)
The Iranians are taking advantage of the coming administration personnel changes. But this much is certain: Barry is in way over his head, which does not portend well for the U.S.
No it is NOT will you give it up already You lost get over it.
If attacking our embassy wasn't an act of war, then trying to shoot down our drone is basically a game of tag. Looks like we're going to be it for a while, cause we don't tag back anymore.
The evil countries in the world are no longer afraid of the USA. They are now testing us to see just how far they can go before we take military action. What do terrorist nations need to do to provoke us another attack like 9/11? Do thousands of Americans need to die just so that we will defend ourselves? Obama had no problem sending a seal team into another country to get bin laden so why is he hesitating to go into iran or libya when we are attacked? As soon as the Iranian fighter got close there should have been fighter jets in the air and when the first shot was fired by Iran we should have blown that plane out of the sky. That is how you keep the peace in a world full of nut jobs and terrorists. Make it clear that our response will be so painful that nobody would ever even consider attacking us. Yes I sound like a war monger but I agree with Tony Stark's line in Iron Man. "respectfully I disagree. I like the weapon that you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it. That how America does it and it has worked pretty well so far. Find an excuse to let one of these off the leash and I guarantee that the terrorists won't even come out of their caves."
well obama running around joking about romnesia while ignoring benghazi certainly does not help to deter our enemies, what a horrible classless hypocritical clown of a leader.
Never underestimate your enemy, know them and use their weakness against them. In other words put yourself in a twelve century mind set. For those of you who stick up for the President you should have read the bible verse Luke 10:18 and read it in the language it was spoken in the first place ancient Herbrew Aramaic it might enlighten your eyes a little bit.
Tell us...please tell us.... I missed Hebrew Aramaic class both days.... Oh by the way, I don't stick up for the empty chair. In fact, I wouldn't get close to that chair..might pick up some kind of barackteria.
yeah, that's what they're saying about us..." know them and use their weakness against them"
Batman
"never underestimate the enemy"..
well you repubs certainly proved that true by invading Iraq.......do you have any words of wisdom on "overestimating the enemy"?
4,000 dead....40,000 wounded!
All this talk about the enemy. Why don't we try to figure out Why? and what can be done about it? So much energy is put into how to destroy, how to "win", how to find the weakness blah,blah. How can we work together? Even in Congress, how can we work together. What is it that makes it so impossible? What?
Julea - Why is very simple. We in the US are addicted to the use of oil and we whine at great volume when the price goes up. The middle east is a major supplier of sweet crude oil. We invaded them economically and have been trying to convert them to our way of life since sometime in the 20's and they're tired of it. They have been tired of it for a few generations now, but we just won't leave, because we're addicted to sweet crude oil.
I guess the Iranian plane "spiraled out of control during a demonstration"?
Non story and anyway it would take Obama two weeks to think about doing anything...after he determines which way the wind is blowing. Firstly, Hillary has to chastise them and threaten them with....ummmm...uh....more threats?
Go attack Obama on this Romney!!!.-----What should I say Koch brothers?---Hell, we don't know, call Karl Rove, he's our expert on dirty politics.
If the USA can have an Air Defense Indentification Zone (ADIZ) of 200 nautical miles where approaching aircraft must identify themselves or risk interception, then so can the Iranians.
As a drone (which might or might not be armed) cannot respond to Iranian ATC requests for indentification and intent then the Iranian air force is well within its right to attempt to shoot it down or force it to retreat.
This would make a fairly good video game.
Gutless wonder, welcome back OB. A real Commander would have shot the towel head down. This "new" U.S. has no spine, thus we are doomed. Romney would be no better.ociety now of mostly little boys and girls. We'll never be great (like we were) again. Very upsetting!
Romney would have been a strong leader. He would have had a million troops in Iran by now.
I bet you sit on your couch and preach war while the other guys fight it! Are you Jewish?
Richard,
What does Jewish have to do with anything?
Romney would have responded immediately!!!. And it would not have been let's all sit down and pass the peace pipe like the idiot in The White House. Problem is all of us have to pay for the stupudity of those that are still drinking the Kool-Ade he dished out last time. This election is the 2nd worse thing to happen to America. The first was 2008 when he was elected the first time. We are in deep trouble. Now he can have 4 more years of on the job training at the expense of all of us. This is no Commander-In-Chief!!!!!