On Monday, April 10, the U.S. Central Command rejected Iranian media claims about the killing of two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tikrit by American drones, stating that the U.S. conducted no operations around the city on the day of the incident. Colonel Edward T. Schultis told the Associated Press that the Central Command had "not conducted any air operations with drones or fighter jets around Tikrit from March 22 to 24 (April 2 to 4)." Another unnamed U.S. official also stated on Monday that Washington has no information regarding the validity of Iran's claims but will investigate them. The statements from U.S. officials were a response to a report from the IRGC-affiliated website 'Sepah News,' which claimed that 'Ali Yazdani' and 'Hadi Jafari,' members of this military organization, were killed on April 3. Sepah News referred to these individuals as "advisors of the IRGC in Iraq." The publication added that Ali Yazdani and Hadi Jafari were killed during an operation in Tikrit, Iraq, against Takfiri elements by American drones. The United States began air operations against the Islamic State (formerly ISIS) forces around Tikrit on April 1, following a request from the Iraqi government. The U.S. stated that after the initial attacks on April 1, air operations resumed again on April 5. The U.S. military's entry into the battle for the liberation of Tikrit came after the operations of Shiite militia forces and the Iraqi army in the city reached a stalemate, as they were unable to reclaim Saddam Hussein's birthplace from ISIS forces despite rapid advances. Iran and the U.S. have entered an unwritten coalition against ISIS since the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and the capture of large parts of northern and western Iraq over the past year. However, the two countries, which have deep disagreements over many regional issues and Tehran's nuclear activities, have stated that they have no joint activities in the fight against ISIS. Over the past year, several Iranian forces, which the Islamic Republic claims are in Iraq for advisory activities and to assist Iraqi forces, have been killed in battles against the Islamic State.
The U.S. Denies the Killing of Two Iranian Guards by Its Drones
The U.S. Central Command denied Iranian claims that two IRGC members were killed by American drones in Tikrit, asserting no operations occurred in the area on the date in question. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran amid their complex relationship regarding military actions against ISIS in Iraq.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
U.S. denies killing two IRGC members in Tikrit, claims no drone operations conducted.
- U.S. Central Command announce Iranian media claims
- U.S. officials investigate Iran's claims
- U.S. military conduct air operations against ISIS
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The U.S. denies involvement in the deaths of IRGC members, complicating U.S.-Iran relations.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%