The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying towards the carrier “with unclear intent” and was intercepted after displaying what the military described as aggressive behaviour, US officials said. It was destroyed by an F-35 fighter jet operating from the aircraft carrier.
The US military shot down an Iranian drone near its aircraft carrier, Abraham Lincoln, in the Middle East on Tuesday, raising fresh alarm over rising tensions in the Arabian Sea amid fragile diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.
The incident came at a tense moment, as diplomats tried to bring Iran and the United States back to the negotiating table. US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened that “bad things” could happen if a deal was not reached.
According to news agency Reuters, CENTCOM said the drone “aggressively approached with unclear intent and continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters”. The drone was destroyed by an F-35 fighter jet operating from the aircraft carrier.
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defence and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for United States Central Command, as per Reuters.
He added that no American personnel were injured and that no military equipment was damaged during the operation. US Central Command said the decision to engage the drone was taken to ensure the safety of the vessel and its crew amid heightened regional security risks.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency said contact with the drone was lost while it was flying in international waters and that the reason for the loss of connection remains unclear. Iranian media also reported that the drone had completed a surveillance mission in international waters.
US WARSHIPS MOVE CLOSER AS DIPLOMACY STALLS
The incident came just days ahead of scheduled talks between US and Iranian officials on Friday to restart long-running nuclear discussions and ease tensions.
US President Donald Trump has recently warned that tensions could worsen if negotiations fail, particularly as American naval forces increase their presence near Iran.
The Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group remains the most visible symbol of Washington’s military buildup in the region. The deployment followed a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran last month, which marked the country’s deadliest domestic unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
While Trump initially stopped short of military intervention during the unrest, he has since demanded that Tehran agree to new nuclear concessions.
Last week, the US President said Iran was “seriously talking”, suggesting some progress in behind-the-scenes diplomacy.
On the Iranian side, senior official Ali Larijani confirmed that arrangements for negotiations were under way, offering cautious optimism that talks could resume.
SEPARATE CONFRONTATION IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Hours after the drone incident, US officials reported another tense encounter in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
US Central Command said boats linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps moved close to a US-flagged commercial tanker.
