After Iran shot down a US military drone in the Gulf region on Thursday, US President Donald Trump approved military strikes on a number of Iranian radar and missile batteries. However, when the aircraft and ships involved in the operation were all in position, Trump abruptly cancelled the strikes. It was not immediately clear why the operation was abandoned or if the US will still proceed with offensive measures at a later time.
While Iran claimed the drone had been flying over its southern territory when it was taken down, the US government said the downing took place in international air space over the Strait of Hormuz.
US-Iran relations have been deteriorating ever since the United States pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal last year. The situation seems to have reached a critical point in the last week, with also saw the US accusing Iran of carrying out the recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, and Iran warning that it will soon exceed the maximum amount of enriched uranium the country is allowed to store under the Iran deal. The escalating tensions are fueling global worries about a possible military conflict between the two countries.
Read more: Trump Approves Strikes on Iran, but Then Abruptly Pulls Back
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