Navy Planes Were Operating Over International Waters

The Islamic Republic of Iran threatened to shoot down two U.S. Navy aircraft over the weekend, according to defense sources.

Fox News reports that the aircraft, a Navy P-8 Poseidon and an EP-3 Eries were engaged in a reconnaissance mission in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman 13 miles of the Iranian coast on Saturday. International maritime law sets territorial limits at 12 miles offshore.

The Iranian military warned the planes to change course or risk getting shot down. The warning was ignored by the crews, according to the report.

A U.S. official told Fox News that the exercise was to "test the Iranian reaction."

“It’s one thing to tell someone to get off your lawn, but we weren’t on their lawn,” the official continued. “Anytime you threaten to shoot someone down, it’s not considered professional.”

Another official said that the threat was hollow, because there were no missile launchers in the area, according to the most recent intelligence reports.

(Images from file)

FMI: www. navy.mil