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US officials: 'Highly likely' Iran downed Ukrainian jetliner

Posted at 12:18 PM, Jan 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-09 16:39:32-05

WASHINGTON (AP) — 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.