U.S. Officials: "Highly likely" Iran downed Ukrainian jetliner
Published: Jan. 9, 2020 at 12:30 PM EST
Two U.S. officials say it was "highly likely" that an Iranian anti-aircraft missile downed a Ukrainian jetliner late Tuesday, killing all 176 people on board.
President Donald Trump is suggesting he believes Iran was responsible. He is dismissing Iranian claims that it was a mechanical issue that brought down the plane -and is denying any U.S. responsibility.
The officials, citing U.S. intelligence, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.
The crash came just a few hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack against Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops amid a confrontation with Washington over a U.S. drone strike that killed an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general.