A US Air Force F-15E fighter jet shot down an Iranian-made Shahed 129 drone belonging to pro-Syrian regime forces near At Tanf, Syria Monday, two US officials confirmed to CNN. The drone “displayed hostile intent,”was “assessed to be a threat,” and shot down, according to an official.
This comes just days after a US Navy F/A-18 shot down a pro-regime warplane that had bombed U.S.-backed Syrian fighters near Tabqah, Syria. This, the third downing of a pro-regime aircraft this month, shows the growing escalation in the region between Russian and Iranian-backed forces supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the U.S. coalition forces.
The drone was shot down around 55 kilometers from the de-confliction zone, CNN reported.
Russia has asked for a de-confliction hotline for the skies over Syria, and their defense ministry commented that any unauthorized aircraft flying west of the Euphrates River would be “considered air targets.”
Australia responded by temporarily halting airstrikes.
