Iranian drone flies straight over US carrier in Persian Gulf and takes pics

Smile for your close-up, F/A-18s. (credit: IRNA)

Today, Iran's IRNA news agency broadcast video apparently taken from an Iranian Revolutionary Guard unmanned aircraft as it flew directly over an American aircraft carrier operating in the Persian Gulf. The US Navy has confirmed that an Iranian drone flew "directly over" the USS Harry S. Truman and near the French carrier Charles de Gaulle, which are both in the Persian Gulf launching airstrikes against Islamic State (Daesh) forces in Syria and Iraq.

Navy Commander Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for the US Navy's 5th Fleet, said that the Navy was "not in a position to verify the authenticity of the video as there are countless examples of similar footage to be found on the Internet." But he did confirm that an Iranian surveillance drone passed over the Truman on January 12. The drone did not pose a threat, he said. "It was, however, abnormal and unprofessional." Stephens added that the Navy would "respond appropriately as the situation dictates" to future incidents.

Iranian Navy Commander Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told IRNA that the drone's flight over the Truman was "a sign of bravery," and it "allowed our men to go so close to the warship and shoot such a beautiful and accurate footage of the combat units of the foreign forces." IRNA also reported that a small Iranian diesel submarine was involved in surveillance of the ships. The drone and submarine operations are part of an Iranian Navy exercise being mounted this week.