Iran fired on an unarmed US drone

The Pentagon reported Thursday that an unarmed, unmanned MQ1 Predator drone was on routine surveillance over the Persian Gulf when it was “intercepted” by Iran last week. Iranian fighter jets fired shots twice and missed, then pursued the drone before it landed safely. The drone was not hit. It was flying 16 nautical miles off the Kuwaiti coast in international waters and never entered the 12-mile limit constituting air space over Iranian territory.  Asked how the US could response, the spokesman said: “We have a wide range of options from diplomatic to military."

The Nov. 1 incident was the first time Iran has fired on a US drone.