The US military said on Tuesday it had shot down an Iranian drone that was “aggressively” approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was approaching the vessel “with clear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 fighter jet, the US military said.
“The F-35C fighter jet from the USS Abraham Lincoln downed the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and its crew,” said Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command.
There were no injuries or damage reported in the attack, he added.
The incident came as diplomats try to broker talks between Iran and the US over their nuclear programme, with US President Donald Trump warning that warships are heading towards Iran and that “bad things” will happen if a deal is not reached.
The Lincoln carrier strike group is the most visible sign of the US military’s increased presence in the Middle East since last month’s bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, the worst unrest in the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Trump, who has not followed through on his threats to intervene during the protests, has since been demanding nuclear concessions from Tehran. Last week, he said Iran was “in serious talks,” and senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani said talks were underway.
Central Command also reported a second incident on Tuesday that occurred hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, where the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) harassed a US-flagged merchant vessel.
“Two IRGC boats and an Iranian drone approached the M/V Stena Imperative at high speed and threatened to board and seize the vessel,” Hawkins said.
