US shoots down Iranian drone that approached aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in Arabian Sea
Centcom confirmed that there were no injuries or damage to U.S. military equipment.
USS Abraham Lincoln
The U.S. military destroyed Tuesday an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, in a new incident that comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
US Central Command (Centcom) reported that an F-35C fighter jet shot down a Shahed-139 drone after the unmanned aircraft performed maneuvers aimed at the carrier strike group. The action occurred while U.S. forces were operating in international waters.
Centcom confirmed that there were no injuries or damage to U.S. military equipment.
Maneuvers "unnecessary" despite de-escalation attempts
Centcom spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins, claimed in a statement to The Hill that the Iranian drone approached the carrier despite U.S. forces taking steps to avoid a confrontation.
According to the official version, the unmanned aircraft continued its trajectory toward the ship, leading to its neutralization by the Navy.
Military presence amid Trump's warnings
The Pentagon has increased its deployment in the area, with a large presence of warships, fighter aircraft and cargo planes near Iranian territory.
Parallel threat against a U.S. commercial vessel
A second episode of tension in the region was recorded on the same Tuesday. Centcom reported that forces from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) threatened to board and capture a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel with a U.S. flag and crew sailing near the Strait of Hormuz.
Two IRGC gunboats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached the M/V Stena Imperative at high speed and attempted to take control of the vessel.
U.S. naval intervention
The destroyer missile launcher USS McFaul was in the area and escorted the vessel, with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force. According to Centcom, this action de-escalated the situation and ensured the safety of the tanker.
Hawkins stated that the U.S. will not tolerate Iranian threats or harassment in international waters and airspace, and warned that such actions increase the risk of miscalculation and regional instability.
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