The Pentagon is refuting the claim that the Ukrainian Airlines plane crashed outside Iran‘s capital of Tehran was due to mechanical failure, as was originally reported. Along with an official from the Pentagon, a senior U.S. intelligence official and an Iraqi intelligence all told Newsweek that they believed the Boeing 737-800 was struck by an anti-aircraft missile system. Although it may not have been an intended target.
The plane had just taken off from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airpot to Kyiv’s Boryspil International Airport on Tuesday when it suddenly stopped transmitting around the time Iran launched a series of missiles at military bases housing U.S. forces and its allies in the neighboring country of Iraq.
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The three officials, who all spoke on the condition of anonymity, believed that a Russia-built Tor-M1 surface-to-air missile system, known as Gauntlet in NATO circles, was the culprit behind the crash. However, they also believed that the plane was targeted by accident amid the missile attacks.
President Donald Trump appeared to echo this sentiment while speaking to reporters outside the White House earlier today. “Well, I have my suspicions. It was flying in a pretty rough neighborhood,” Trump said. “Somebody could have made a mistake. I have a feeling that something very terrible happened, very devastating.”
The crash killed all 176 people on board, including 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians (including nine crewmembers), 10 Swedes, seven Afghans and three German nationals.
The Iran missile attacks were a response to the U.S. assassinating of Major General Qassem Soleimani via drone strike last week. Yesterday, Trump told reporters that no Americans were harmed in the attack, while further offering up a justification for the initial strike against the Iranian Major General.
“He trained terrorist armies, including Hezbollah, launching terrorist strikes against civilian targets,” Trump said. “He fueled bloody civil wars all across the region. He viciously wounded and murdered thousands of U.S. troops, including the planting of roadside bombs that maim and dismember their victims.”
He also added that the situation appeared to be de-escalating overall. “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”
In the wake of the tragedy, Ukraine International Airlines offered their condolences on Facebook.
“The airline expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the air crash and will do everything possible to support the relatives of the victims,” the statement read. “With immediate effect, UIA has decided to suspend its flights to Tehran until further notice.”
