U.S. says Russian plane hit one of its drones with flare over Syria

U.S. Air Forces Central said a Russian fighter aircraft hit a U.S. drone with a flare while flying dangerously close in the skies over Syria on Sunday.

"One of the Russian flares struck the U.S. MQ-9, severely damaging its propeller," the U.S. Air Force said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Fortunately, the MQ-9 crew was able to maintain flight and safely recover the aircraft to its home base," the statement added.