US shot down Iranian drone close to American ship in Strait of Hormuz

A US Navy ship has shot down an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz after its operators ignored warnings to stand down, US President Donald Trump said.

The drone came within 1,000 metres of the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, and the US took defensive action, Mr Trump said.

“The drone was immediately destroyed,” he said from the White House. “This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters.

"The United States reserves the right to defend our personnel, facilities and interests."

Chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman confirmed the strike against the drone.

“At approximately 10am local time, the amphibious ship USS Boxer was in international waters conducting a planned inbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz,” Mr Hoffman said.

“A fixed-wing unmanned aerial system approached Boxer and closed within a threatening range. The ship took defensive action to ensure the safety of the ship and its crew.”

After the drone shot down, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted the word "reminder", with a map showing how far the US is from Iran and Gulf waters.

Iranian leaders have earlier called on the US to withdraw from the area.

Tension has been escalating in the Strait of Hormuz. Last month, Iran shot down a US drone and its Revolutionary Guard claimed it seized a foreign tanker on Thursday.

US Special representative for Iran Brian Hook will meet ambassadors at the State Department on Friday to promote an American plan to build a maritime coalition to deter further attacks in the Gulf.

Mr Hook said the Sentinel Programme “will make it harder for Iran to disrupt freedom of commerce and navigation”.

He did not specify which countries would attend the meeting and it is unclear which states have agreed to take part.

The US also plans to install surveillance and protection equipment on ships travelling through the Gulf.

Earlier on Thursday, the US Navy announced that it had launched a search for a missing sailor in an “overboard incident” in the Arabian Sea.

The National