NYT: Trump is going to fight with Iran because of the downed drone, but he changed his mind at the last moment

Among the potential targets were a radar station and rocket batteries, the newspaper said.

Photo: twitter.com/realDonaldTrump

US President Donald Trump approved the attack on Iran after the armed forces of this country shot down an American drone, but later canceled them. He writes about it TASS with reference to The New York Times from 20 Jun.

“President Trump approved military strikes against Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, but then canceled them Thursday evening after tensions rose throughout the day,” the story said.

On the subject: Tension escalates: Iran knocked down American drone

According to the newspaper's administration sources, "at 19:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 20 (02:00 Friday, June 21, Moscow time), following intense consultation and debate in the White House among the president's key national security aides and congressional leaders, military and diplomats expected strikes to be carried out.”

As noted in the publication, the American leader “initially approved strikes on a small number of targets in Iran, such as a radar station and missile batteries.” According to the publication, the US was supposed to launch the attack before dawn in Iran on Friday, “to minimize the risk to Iranian military or civilians.”

“However, the [US] military was soon informed that the strikes were canceled, at least for the time being,” the material says.

Can the US strike?

The article states: “It was not clear whether Trump simply changed his mind about the strikes or whether the administration changed plans for logistical or strategic reasons.” As the publication notes, it is not yet clear whether strikes “can still be carried out.”

According to the newspaper, United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, CIA head Gina Haspel, as well as Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security John Bolton were in favor of conducting this military operation in Trump's circle.

“But key Pentagon officials warned that these steps could lead to rapid escalation and threaten US forces in the region,” the material says.

Key lawmakers were also familiarized with the plans of Washington. The Democrats thereafter stated that any possible US military operations against Iran require the approval of US lawmakers.

The White House and the Pentagon have not yet responded to the TASS request in Washington for comment on the allegations given in the article. The publication notes that none of the administration representatives appealed to the editor of The New York Times with a request not to publish this material.

About the drone incident

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Thursday said they had shot down an American reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Global Hawk. It was indicated that the drone was hit in the sky over the province of Hormozgan in southern Iran after it invaded the airspace of the country.

On the subject: 'We will strike in the head': Iran threatens the United States because of its presence in the Persian Gulf

In turn, the representative of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) Bill Urban later said that an Iranian anti-aircraft missile system shot down an American reconnaissance UAV in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz. Urban also noted that “Iran’s reports that the aircraft was in [airspace] over Iranian territory are false” and the UAV’s actions were not a provocation.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which is the military branch of Iran’s executive branch, reported that shot down by an American reconnaissance droneallegedly in the airspace of Iran.
• Dron was shot down over the southern province of Hormozgan. This area is located near the Strait of Hormuz, which is actively used to transport oil.
• The US military first refuted Iran’s statement. Central Command spokesman Bill Urban said that there were no American UAVs over Iranian territory.
• But then AP and Reuters, citing sources at the Pentagon, reported that the American drone was indeed shot down by the Iranians, but stressed that it was in international airspace.

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