President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has made a “very big mistake” by shooting down a US spy drone, an incident that is likely to further escalate already soaring tensions between Washington and Tehran.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump wasbriefed Wednesday night and again Thursday morning about the incident.
Later, President Trump tweeted: “Iran made a very bigmistake!”
Trump’s tweet came as his national security officials werehuddling to weigh possible responses, CNN reported.
On Monday, the US defence department said it was deploying1,000 extra troops to the region in response to “hostile behaviour”by Iranian forces. It has already sent an aircraft carrier strike group andB-52 bombers.
The US has also accused Iran of attacking two oil tankerswith mines last Thursday just outside the Strait of Hormuz, in the Gulf ofOman. Iran rejects the allegation.It was the second time in a month tankers hadbeen attacked close in the region, through which a fifth of the world’s oilpasses each day.