Pentagon says Iranian drone ‘attack’ hit chemical tanker near India

The Iranian navy has taken delivery of cruise missiles with a range of 1,000 km (621 miles) as well as reconnaissance helicopters, state media reported today, as the U.S. accused Iran of a drone attack on a chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean.

A drone launched from Iran struck a chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean early yesterday, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

“The motor vessel CHEM PLUTO, a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker was struck at approximately 10 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) today in the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India, by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran,” a Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters.

Although Western military analysts say Iran sometimes exaggerates its capabilities, Iranian-made missiles and drones are a key element in Tehran’s military hardware.

Source » nbcnews.com