Iran, U.S.: Iran's Downing of a U.S. Drone Invites a Military Response

Iran shot down a U.S. BAMS-D strategic surveillance drone June 20. While the Iranians assert that the drone breached their airspace, the U.S. insists the drone was in international airspace and that the downing was unprovoked. The Iranian action is the latest in a pattern of attacks involving Iran and the United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf region. This time, the Iranians have destroyed a strategic UAV system that costs between $100 million to $200 million, depriving the United States of a significant and valuable asset. These factors significantly raise the possibility of a U.S. military response....