Iran Shoots Down US RQ-4 Global Hawk Surveillance Drone

Iran's Revolutionary Guard shoots down a US military surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the two countries to the brink of direct military conflict.

On June 20, 2019, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down a US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the drone had entered Iranian airspace — a claim the US denied, saying the drone was in international airspace. President Trump authorized a retaliatory military strike on Iranian radar and missile sites but recalled the order 10 minutes before execution, citing the potential deaths of 150 Iranians as disproportionate. The incident brought the US and Iran closer to direct military confrontation than at any point in decades. Trump instead launched a new wave of cyberattacks and expanded sanctions on Iran's leadership, including Supreme Leader Khamenei personally.