. >> this was in southern syria.ht away it's important to say this is the third time the u.s. has had to shoot something down in southern syria. we saw a fighter jet being shot down. second time now they're shooting down an armed drone in southern syria, a u.s. f-15 shooting down this iranian-made drone that the u.s. says was posing a threat. an armed threat to u.s. and coalition forces on the ground in southern syria. the shootdown happened because the u.s. says specifically the drone was in a threatening position. this is something that is -- appears to keep happening in this very area where the u.s. says it hopes things are going to calm down, but they are simply not. of course, this is one day after the russians said they would threaten any aircraft, any u.s. aircraft, flying in western syria. this is a war zone that appears to be heating up with russian regime and iranian-backed forces taking a much higher profile, john. >> we have more breaking news. we're getting word a russian fighter jet came within five fee

fighter jet has shot down an iranian made pro syrian regime drone in southern syria at approximately twelve thirty am local time now i'll tell you is a town on the syrian border where u.s. troops are in fact training syrian rebels the statement claims the drone displayed hostile intent and advanced on coalition forces this is in fact the third procedure in an aircraft they've shot down just this month a second drone was downed on june the eighth in the same area and on sunday the u.s. led coalition shot down a syrian government plane in the country's north that many felt that move was a step too far even prompting a reaction from the u.n. it does bring up the broadly or deep concern of the risk of possible miscalculation and escalation in the conflict in syria overall there have been five attacks by the us government forces in recent months and all cases they've claimed actions were taken in self-defense and that the coalition does not seek confrontation with the syrian government but their actions are sending a very different message at this point but within hours that that i destro

backed forces in southern syria once again the coalition said the downing of the aircraft was notified motivated by self defense or we got reaction to the spiraling situation from several experts on the region. did the americans react to the syrian threat as a source or were they trying to assert sovereignty over syria who think about it really ever since the early one thousand nine hundred ninety s. have been used to it being able to patrol what they regard as enemy skies with impunity and they feel threatened and also the allies on the ground are threatened so there is a risk that in fact they may try to assert themselves against any syrian or russian limitations on their activities over syria and that of course then could spiral out of control who has a very dangerous situation although some people in washington are saying all the russians will never stand up to us well maybe not but what if regarding are we going towards you know more suspension of cooperation i think that's what some people in the u.s. administration actually won so they don't meaning they don't want to have coope

fighter jet has downed an armed drone belonging to pro syrian government forces in southern syria the coalition statement says the drone was armed and advancing on u.s. backed forces it happened in the south of the country near a base in the region. as more. so the pentagon has confirmed that a u.s. fighter jet has shot down an iranian made pro syrian regime drone in southern syria at approximately twelve thirty am local time now i'll tell you is a town on the syrian border where u.s. troops are in fact training syrian rebels the statement claims the drone displayed hostile intent and advanced on coalition forces this is in fact the third pro syrian aircraft they've shot down just this month a second drone was downed on june the eighth in the same area and on sunday the u.s. led coalition shot down a syrian government plane in the country's north that many felt that move was a step too far even prompting a reaction from the u.n. these kind of you see dence can be very dangerous in a conflict situation in which there are so many actors and in which the situation is so complex on the gr

backed troops last month in southern syria the coalition also bombed pro-government forces several times after accusing them of violating so-called the confliction zones aren't even if the now it takes a closer look at the latest well. the u.s. shoots down a syrian plane over syria in self-defense the only action that we have taken against pro regime forces in syria and they've been to specific incidents have been in self-defense let's imagine a random guy comes into your house with a gun and shoots your dog and then he's like it was just self-defense i wanted to make sure there was no why lin's going on here d. as coalition speaking of deescalation after this self defense move the situation couldn't be worse russia now considers all u.s. led coalition planes in the area of potential targets and are tracking them all of this happened as both the u.s. and syrian government backed up by the russian air force were fighting isis in the stronghold of raka now washington and moscow have locked horns in syria again focus has shifted and isis is probably breathing a deep sigh of relief while wat

but forces in southern syria once again the coalition said the downing of the aircraft was motivated by self defense reaction to the spiraling situation from several experts on the region did the americans react to syrian threats as a source or were they trying to assert sovereignty over syria who think about it really ever since the early one thousand nine hundred ninety s. have been used to it being able to patrol what they regard as enemy skies with impunity and they feel threatened but also the allies on the ground are threatened so there is a risk that in fact they may try to assert themselves against any syrian or russian limitations on their activities over. there are a lot of calls and could spiral out of control who are very dangerous situation although some people in washington are saying all the russians will never stand up to us well maybe not but what if regarding are we going towards you know more suspension of cooperation i think that's what some people in the us administration actually won so they don't meaning they don't want to have cooperation between the u.s. and

its spear of influence and using this area of southern syria. >> iran is not focussed of isis insideopping up the regime that committed atrocities in the civil war. >> it is all making it harder to get to isis's last stand, suspected to be here top leaders, bomb factories, oil facilitie facilities, generating money and chemical agents. for the u.s., a pull back keeps the war from expanding and syrian and iranian forces press ahead. in the last few weeks, a plane shot down an iranian drone. that just days after the u.s. also shot down a syrian fighter jet and another drone. >> if the syrian forces goes against isis, that's great. but that's the question. will they go against isis? that's not their top priority. >> barbara star reporting for us. that's it for me. i'm wolf blitzer in the situation room. erin burnett out front starts right now. >> outfront next breaking news, the white house facing a deadline to turn over a crucial document to investigators. trump is bothered by the friendship between bob mueller and james comey. but how close are they and why is he saying that? and anot

led coalition has targeted pro assad forces in the war zone last month in southern syria the coalition also bombed pro-government forces several times after accusing them of violating so-called de confliction zones well arty's and so now it takes a closer look at the latest round. the u.s. shoots down a syrian plane over syria in self-defense the only action that we have taken against pro regime forces in syria and they've been to specific incidents have been in self-defense let's imagine a random guy comes into your house with a gun and shoots your dog and then he's like it was just self-defense i wanted to make sure there was no why lynds going on here d. as coalition speaking of deescalation after this self defense move the situation couldn't be worse russia and now considers all u.s. led coalition planes in the area of potential targets and are tracking them all of this happened as both the u.s. and syrian government backed up by the russian air force were fighting isis in the stronghold of raka now washington and moscow have locked horns in syria again focus has shifted and isis i

fighter jet was downed an drone belonging to pro syrian government forces in southern syria the coalition statement says the drone was advancing on u.s. backed forces it happened in the south of the country near a base in the region with more let's talk to jacqueline. jacqueline what are you hearing. yes like you said they did come out with a statement saying that they have shot down an iranian made pro series in regime drone in southern syria now this is the third prosperi an aircraft that has been shut down this month alone by u.s. led coalition forces another drone was shot down on june the eighth in the same area and just this sunday a u.s. led coalition the u.s. led coalition dropped downed a syrian government plane making it the first syrian plane down by the u.s. since this civil war started now russia reacted saying that this move went against international law and they weren't alone in feeling that this crossed the line even the u.n. actually had comment on the downing of that plane it does bring up a broadly or deep concern of the risk of possible miscalculation and escalation i

troops on the ground in southern syria. this is an area where the pentagon is calling them pro regime forces but behind the scenes, these are a iranian-backed militias in southern syria that had been on the move towards an area where u.s. forces had been operating. they had been warned several times to keep their distance, to steer clear. the warnings were specific and multiple. but apparently earlier today, they began to move closer in and the u.s. moved against them conducting air strikes. there were about 60 of these militia forces. the u.s. striking some anti-artillery pieces, a tank and some other anti-aircraft weapons that these troops had on the ground in this area of southern syria. it is also believed that there are potentially russian-backed forces nearby. so what this is telling us, this area of eastern syria is becoming a very complex battle space you have a lot of different troops on the ground with different loyalties. some to the regime and some potentially to russia and u.s. teams are operating to train and

military has bombed pro syrian forces in southern syria.t comes also in light of the ongoing tension over the u.s.'s downing of the syrian fighter jet on sunday and the ongoing fallout from that and what has become a crowded battlefield in syria with russia, u.s., syria, iran all involved in the fight not only against isis but also in the ongoing civil war, the bloody and brutal civil war. all this as syria's government has launched a new offensive against isis today in northern syria and against rebel forces as well. some backed by the u.s. in the central part of the country, shannon. >> shannon: so what do we know about what's being done to de-escalate the situation between russia and the u.s. now? >> well, u.s. officials, shannon, say that communication lines between both countries and military operation centers are open online despite the tough talk from russia's foreign minister said that communication channels have been suspended, well, u.s. military officials say that the so-called deconfliction channel, the hotline that both militar

a stray round lands in the disputed golan heights we'll bring you up to speed on i mean to syria is the southern border facing strikes live in the north of the country america's allies in the region of fighting it out as well we take a look at how kurdish forces are divided in the fight against islamic state plus. what you think's going to happen this week to the rest of. the things that keep up with another scandal hit c.n.n. as a political commentator was caught on camera ridiculing the channel's russia coverage . because of the twenty ninth of june eight am here in moscow very good morning from me kevin when you're watching r t international holidays going good verse let me bring up the speed of our top story this morning that israel has launched a missile strike against a syrian military post in the disputed golan heights they say it was in response to stray syrian fire landing in israeli territory is our middle east correspondent paula. while the israeli defense forces has confirmed to r.t.e. that it carried out a military strike in syria a strain of rounds landed in an open area in the nor

troops down in southern syria. the u.s. moved to take them out. in the philippines, not very well known and not much information about it. u.s. special forces also stepping in the southern philippines at the request of president duterte there to move against forces and providing intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. in afghanistan, three u.s. troops killed over the weekend in a so-called insider attack by an afghan soldier. they are in an area where they, too, u.s. forces battling isis in eastern afghanistan. will this be enough to push isis over the brink to end that group? probably not. john. >> barbara starr, thank you. >>> intense oppressive words to describe not just alisyn camerota, but the record-breaking heat in the midwest and northern u.s.? how long will it stick around? meteorologist chad myers with the latest. >> john, it doesn't typically happen with forecasted record highs. this forecast brought to you by xyzal. the pollen is flying and so is the humidity. the highs today in the mid-90s after starting out in the 70s and 80s in

syrian government forces and their allies back then the syrian army stopped its operation in southern syria only to surprise the americans by advancing and actually in circling the area that they had set up camp and that the nuff in the south eastern part of syria now it's a similar scenario americans don't want the syrian army to advance towards theirs or the doctor or the syrian army to actually present a spot of operation to retake or to take any part of a couple of us and the syrian army want to accept it i think it's up to the battlefield a little development of the battlefield will decide whether this will be escalated and how far the u.s. is willing to go in order to stop the advance of the syrian army because according to according to my sources the syrians and the syrian military forces are willing to go as far as it gets to actually arrive to the city of theirs or continue to try to try and regain control of all of syria. thank you ever so much for your insight into this we have to leave it there that was a bit here at a mask based. well the incident outside rackers al are saying

is still evolving tensions beginning to mount and what's happening in that particular part of southern syria right on the border with israel is that is that the israeli prime minister is getting very nervous about something which wasn't supposed to happen which is that these sorts skirmishes were not supposed to go as far down as the golan heights go hi it's a strategic city jackley important in the war that's going on now or that the war is not reported them so much by international media which is that the war between assad regime assad's partners on the west so it's a political war which is which is evolving and that's why there's all this tension in that particular i'm so while syria's southern border faces strikes from israel its northern border is being torn by fighting as well turkey's launched an artillery barrage against the kurdish militia in one of the many syrian hotspots in some the town of afrin. check out where that is almost here is where the fighting happening between the kurdish and turkish forces were is concentrated you can see the case most of the battle is on territory c

special operations camp in southern syria well west of euphrates and tried to intercept it.it intercepted it, saw the wings were dirty, meaning it had a lot of weapons under the wings and happened west of the euphrates and the u.s. is not honoring russia's request for no fly zone. >> tell me what this means. why would there be an escalation between u.s. and russia out there when so much is going on diplomatically elsewhere? >> i guess, first, what's happening diplomatically through the estana talks are under russia and united states believes rightfully if the political process continues to develop in that fashion that the russians, syrians, iranians able to determine most of the eventual facts on the ground in how diplomacy is fashioned. with coalition and rebels on the ground, trying to increase pressure on assad to eventually change the level of the playing field in the diplomatic efforts. now, the russians are saying very clearly to the united states, we consider that hostile action. syria still sovereign state, recognized the united nations, so you're engaging in breakin

in southern syria, a u.s. f-15 intercepted an armed iranian-made drone heading toward a u.s. special forces training base. within minutes and without warning russians, the american pilot shot it down. u.s. military officials claimed that the hotline is open, but refused to say whether or not the russians are answering it on their end. lester? >> hans nichols at the pentagon, thank you. >>> it is election night in america. a closely watched special election in georgia to replace house secretary tom price in congress, which has now become the most expensive house race in history, pitting democrat jon ossoff against karen handel. the district has been in republican hands for decades but president trump barely won it in november. giving democrats hope of an upset that some analysts say could be seen as a referendum on president trump and his policies. >>> there's new word about when o.j. simpson could be granted a release from prison. a parole hearing for simpson is now set for july 20th. simpson was acquitted of a double murder in the so-called trial of the century, only to be c

-led coalition drone overn armed southern syria close to where american-backed forces are operating. the pro-syrian regime drone had hostile intent. russia is accusing the coalition with complacency with terrorism over the incident. it follows the downing of a syrian government were playing on sunday. officials in somalia say 10 people have been killed in a bomb attack targeting local government offices in mogadishu. islamic militant group auch about says they were behind the attack. european court of human rights has ruled that a russian law banning the promotion of homosexuality is discriminatory and encourages homophobia. it was brought by three russian gay-rights activists. under the law documented in 2013, businesses, schools, and individuals can be fined if they are considered to be promoting homosexual behavior among minors. the u.s. state department says north korea is directly responsible for the death of american student otto warmbier. they want pyongyang to free three other americans held there. otto warmbier died yesterday after returning home last week in a coma. he had

inside the country especially against terrorist groups such as islamic state at the same time in southern syria battles are going on in the golan heights part of which was annexed by israel and is not recognized by the international community now there at the side is fighting predominantly the all nusra front and some of those errant show. goals have landed on the israeli side of the golan heights in the last few days we've seen israeli forces attacking assad government positions and accusing the assad army of launching projectiles into israeli territory the country's defense minister avigdor lieberman warned that the situation is hot and that israel won't turn a blind eye to what is happening. there are many prophets predicting a hot summer they say there will be a war but we have no intention of initiating a military act but we won't let anything pass whether it's just spillage or not everything will get a powerful response. strong words from israel's defense minister but he doesn't seem to have any problems when it comes with incidents happening with islamic state that has many here fronting

couple of days really israel of what it's doing in part of syria what's the latest on that well southern syria is something of a hot spot has emerged emerged in solidified its role as such lately especially there in the area next to the golan heights most of which have been annexed by israel you have a pitched battle going on you have as howard's forces fighting against rebels and the hardest al qaeda affiliate nusra front you have isis launching its own operations and israeli forces attacking the government the government's army government troops choosing them of launching shells and rockets into israeli territory the israeli defense minister in fact he was there recently himself looking through by knocking as at what's happening across the border and he says there's room for escalation. there are many prophets predicting a hot summer so there will be a war but we have no intention of initiating a military acts but we won't let anything pass whether it's just spillage or not everything will get a powerful brew spawns. the israeli defense minister says the man himself and perfectly lined up sh

have you not stopped trump administration from bombing our basis or hitting iranian proxies in southern syriaing down our aircraft. a lot is rhetoric from putin about what they will do with u.s. aircraft. i don't think they will do a thing to be honest. charles: at home there was confusion, during campaign president trump wondered about our rebel forces. but, to me, i think, at least it has been clear to these were to mike will's point, they were kurds who we know have been -- fighters an argument we should help them more? >> the u.s. national security threat in syria isis. so donald trump made it clear during the campaign, that if he were president, he would defeetz feedefeat isis, the american appetite, which also i think propelled donald trump to the white house, is that the view that syria is a mess. that there are -- there is a proxy war going on right now. so taking that. it would make sense that the united states would need to support the kurds,e the kurds are those on the ground. if we want to make sure we're doing all possible in syria without u.s. military personnel on the ground in

fighter jet engaged in arabian constructed syrian armed drone taking it down in southern syria military has been following these developments tonight and she joins us monella at the downing of the syrian as you train to jet by an american f. eighteen signals america stepping up operations there in syria the last time the u.s. engages in an air to air attack was back during the clinton era in the kosovo conflict but it's hard to tell just how much things might be ramping up in syria since the trumpet ministration ended the practice of making the number of troops on the ground public former pentagon official michael maloof says this sort of action is most certainly an indication of just that with the shoot down of the issue twenty two and now the latest drone and even prior to that u.s. . a text of. on syrian troops as well as hezbollah and iranian. proxies if you will in the ultimate off area that really reflects something much more. an escalation for the united states and something much more serious for the united states in terms of what it intends to do there and right now we still don

forces in southern syria. apons program goes beyond this one air base, shep. >> shepard: jennifer, what kind of forces does the pentagon have in that area? >> should president trump decide to go beyond the warning and if assad were to carry out another chemical attack, there's plenty of firepower in the region. the george h.w. bush strike group is operating in the mediterranean sea. the war planes have been striking isis in syria. last week a u.s. navy f-18 super hornet from the bush shot down a syrian war plane. the first time one has been shot down in 18 years. the first shot with a sidewinder missed we're told, but the pilot fired a second medium range missile that brought down the syrian jet. there's numerous guided missile destroyers capable of launching tomahawk cruise missiles similar to the strike in syria, shep. >> shepard: thanks, jennifer. ahead, a report of a cyber attack targeting a nuclear plant in the united states. what we've learned about what investigators still trying to figure out coming up.

was not given any warning about the iranian missiles this shot down a drone in su southern syria. trish. >> all right. thank you. >> a shake up is coming to white house communication team. could see press secretary sean spicer moving into a more senior role. we have the report. reporter: fox news has been told sean spicer to take on a new role at white house, elevated to equivalent of deputy chief of staff for communication. it is new role he will oversee white house press office and communication shop, and new press secretary in comm wee communication director will report to him, no word on who would replace spicer as press secretary. one area that will remain outside of sean spicer's jurisdiction, the russia investigation, that will remain the purview of the president outside counsel. >> meeting with panama president today, president trump ignored shouted questions about the russia investigation, but the public face of president's legal team sekulow was saying plenty, appearing on 4 sunday shows, two morning programs today to declare the president is not under investigation, and