Qantas is rerouting flights away from the Middle East after Iran shot down a US military drone

  • Qantas has rerouted flights away from the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman 
  • Flights from Australia the London will be impacted by the flight path change 
  • Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down an 'intruding' US spy drone on Thursday
  • The US and Iran do not agree that the pilotless drone was above Iranian airspace
  • An American airstrike on Iran was allegedly called off at the last minute 

Qantas has rerouted flights away from the Middle East after Iran shot down a US military drone. 

Flights will be diverted from the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman 'until further notice' from Friday. 

The national airline highlighted their flights cross the Middle East at 40,000 feet.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down an 'intruding American spy drone' flying in the country's territory in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.

Iran's surface-to-air missile system 'Khordad-3' (pictured) launches to shoot down US surveillance drone RQ-4A

Iran's surface-to-air missile system 'Khordad-3' (pictured) launches to shoot down US surveillance drone RQ-4A

Qantas has rerouted flights away from the Middle East after Iran shot down a US military drone (stock image)

Qantas has rerouted flights away from the Middle East after Iran shot down a US military drone (stock image)

The US-made surveillance drone was brought down by Iran over the southern coastal province of Hormozgan, the Revolutionary Guard claimed

The security measure will mean a change to Qantas flights between Australian and London, however it is understood the impact on flying time will be minimal.

Dutch airline KLM announced a similar measure on Friday, as did Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines. 

The US has also barred American-registered aircraft from flying over Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The flight ban was implemented over Iran's Revolutionary Guard shooting down a US military surveillance drone, affecting a region crucial to global air travel.

The Federal Aviation Administration warned of a 'potential for miscalculation or misidentification' in the region after an Iranian surface-to-air missile on Thursday brought down a US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk, an unmanned aircraft with a wingspan larger than a Boeing 737 jetliner and costing more than $AU145 million ($US100 million).

Iran said it had recovered parts of a US spy drone in its territorial waters, after downing the aircraft in a missile strike slammed by President Donald Trump as a "big mistake"

Iran said it had recovered parts of a US spy drone in its territorial waters, after downing the aircraft in a missile strike slammed by President Donald Trump as a 'big mistake'

The drones flight path (pictured in yellow) in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command. Iran said it shot down the drone over Iranian territorial waters

The drones flight path (pictured in yellow) in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command. Iran said it shot down the drone over Iranian territorial waters 

Debris from the wrecked drone was pictured by Iranian media as Trump asked for talks with the Supreme leader

Debris from the wrecked drone was pictured by Iranian media as Trump asked for talks with the Supreme leader

A section of the destroyed warplane released by Iran, amid fears over what Tehran and its allies might glean from its inner workings

A section of the destroyed warplane released by Iran, amid fears over what Tehran and its allies might glean from its inner workings

Tehran insisted it took place over Iranian airspace and said it was 'ready for war' as the U.S. heightened its rhetoric and warned it would respond in kind.

Iran claims it destroyed an RQ-4 Global Hawk over the southern coastal province of Hormozgan. 

The U.S. initially said it was a Navy MQ-4C Triton in international airspace but confirmed later that it was indeed a Global Hawk. The two look similar and the Triton is a variant of the Global Hawk.

The downing of the drone is the latest example of how Iran is ramping up regional tensions with the U.S. after two tankers were hit by limpet mines last Thursday and four vessels were allegedly damaged by underwater drones in the Gulf last month.

Last week, the U.S. said Iran had attempted to strike another one of its drones which had circled above the stricken tankers.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it brought the drone down as it was 'violating Iranian air space' over the waters of Hormozgan province

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it brought the drone down as it was 'violating Iranian air space' over the waters of Hormozgan province

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei next to Khordad-3 missile system last month - Trump has reportedly conveyed his demands to speak to the head of state

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei next to Khordad-3 missile system last month - Trump has reportedly conveyed his demands to speak to the head of state

Trump, pictured with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, National security adviser John Bolton, center, and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, is said to have approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing a US drone but pulled back last minute

Trump, pictured with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, National security adviser John Bolton, center, and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, is said to have approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing a US drone but pulled back last minute

Trump tweeted the Iranian military 'made a very big mistake' when it shot down a spy drone

Trump tweeted the Iranian military 'made a very big mistake' when it shot down a spy drone

Donald Trump asked for talks with Iran's leader after aborting strikes on the country at the last minute in response to the drone downing, according to reports.  

The President pulled back from attacking Iran on Thursday evening, according to The New York Times.

Military and diplomatic officials were said to be expecting a strike as late as 7pm, with planned attacks on radar and missile batteries approved.

The paper claims multiple senior administration sources confirmed the plans.

A White House insider told the New York Times planes were in the air and ships were in position when the mission was called off - against the advice Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, national security adviser John R. Bolton and CIA director Gina Haspel.

Immediately after the attack President Trump said the Iranian military 'made a very big mistake' when it shot down the American spy drone.  

The president said it was someone 'loose and stupid' who did it and he has a 'big, big feeling' that someone made a mistake.

'I have a feeling that it was a mistake made by somebody who shouldn't have been doing it,' he assessed, possibly a rogue general.

Trump suggested that loss of life would change his calculus. 'We didn't have a man or woman in the drone,' he argued. 'It would have made a big, big difference.'

But he promised the U.S. would not leave the attack unanswered. 'This country will not stand for it, that I can tell you,' he said.

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Qantas is rerouting flights away from the Middle East after Iran shot down a US military drone 

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