US Officials Reveal Retaliatory Strike in Response to Iran's Drone Attack
Even though President Donald Trump canceled plans Thursday to conduct a retaliatory airstrike against Iran, the U.S. military did carry out a cyberattack against the Islamic Republic.
“Sources said U.S. Cyber Command launched the cyberattack targeting the Iranian intelligence and radar installations used to down the U.S. Navy drone last week,” Fox News reported, referring to the $130 million drone that Iran downed.
Citing two former intelligence officials, Yahoo also reported the news, noting a “retaliatory digital strike against an Iranian spy group that supported last week’s limpet mine attacks on commercial ships.”
Iran claimed that no successful cyberattack on any its assets has occurred.
On Friday, Trump tweeted that he decided to call off air strikes 10 minutes before they set to occur because it would not have been a “proportionate” response to the downing of an unmanned drone.
He said the military estimated that 150 Iranians would have been killed if the U.S. took out the planned targets.
Trump further explained on Saturday, “I never called the strike against Iran ‘BACK,’ as people are incorrectly reporting, I just stopped it from going forward at this time!”
I never called the strike against Iran “BACK,” as people are incorrectly reporting, I just stopped it from going forward at this time!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2019
In addition to the reported cyberattack, the president announced on Monday new sanctions aimed at denying Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his office access to “key financial resources.”
“We will continue to increase pressure on Tehran until the regime abandons its dangerous activities and its aspirations, including the pursuit of nuclear weapons, increased enrichment of uranium, development of ballistic missiles, engagement in and support for terrorism, fueling of foreign conflicts, and belligerent acts directed against the United States and its allies,” Trump said.
#US President @realDonaldTrump signs off fresh sanctions against #Iran and its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following “a series of aggressive behaviours by the Iranian regime”.
To read the full story, click here: https://t.co/mxAN5uA1s2 pic.twitter.com/dReRDuMwoe
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 24, 2019
Trump described the Iran nuclear deal signed by the Obama administration as a “disaster,” because it would allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons within a relatively short period of time.
Further, it did not address the other bad conduct by the regime, such as ballistic missile testing and the support of terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East.
“Never can Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
“I think a lot of restraint has been shown by us,” he added.
“That doesn’t mean we’re going to show it in the future.”
Fox reported that the U.S. currently has about 70,000 military personnel stationed in the region, along with the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, which has been dispatched to the Persian Gulf.
According to The Associated Press, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks with the king and crown prince of Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss countering the military threats posed by Iran.
Productive meeting with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud today to discuss heightened tensions in the region and the need to promote maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. Freedom of navigation is paramount. pic.twitter.com/efuZq5EOpK
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 24, 2019
Pompeo tweeted, “Productive meeting with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud today to discuss heightened tensions in the region and the need to promote maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. Freedom of navigation is paramount.”
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