US-led forces shoot down suspected Iranian drone over Syria

A US warplane in eastern Syria shot down a drone on Saturday after the US army deemed the aircraft to be a threat to coalition forces. 

"Coalition aircraft successfully engaged and defeated a UAS through air to air engagement in the vicinity of Mission Support Site Green Village," US Army Colonel Wayne Marotto said, according to Reuters. 

Lucas Tomlinson, a Fox News reporter tweeted Sunday citing officials that the US Air Force F-15E "​shot down Iranian drone" after it was flying "too close" to the 900 troops deployed there. 

The Pentagon previously raised concerns about attacks on US troops in Syria and Iraq - where Iran has supplied drones to pro-Tehran militias - following rocket and drone attacks that wounded two service personnel.

The US and Iran have been trying to renegotiate the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement to prevent a revival of Iran's nuclear weapons programme, which was thwarted by the Trump administration in 2018.

Suspected Iranian drones last month attacked the Mercer Street oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, managed by an Israeli company where two crew members were killed. 

The latest event may raise further tensions between Iran and the US, Israel, and the UK who have publicly denounced Iran's drone offensive to be "unlawful and callous".