The United States military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that it said “aggressively” approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, according to U.S. officials.
The incident was first reported by Reuters.The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier with what the U.S. military described as “unclear intent” before it was downed by an F-35 fighter jet.
U.S. Central Command spokesperson, Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, said the action was taken in self-defence to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board.
“No American service members were harmed and no U.S. equipment was damaged,” Hawkins said.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment.
The incident comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to revive nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that “bad things” could happen if negotiations fail, as U.S. warships move closer to Iranian waters.
Oil prices rose by more than $1 per barrel following news of the drone shootdown.
The US Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is the most visible element of a broader U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, following a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran last month — the deadliest unrest in the country since the 1979 revolution.
Trump, who previously stopped short of intervening during the protests, has since demanded nuclear concessions from Tehran. While he said last week that Iran was “seriously talking,” Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, said arrangements for negotiations were ongoing.
Iranian boats harass U.S.-flagged tankerIn a separate incident later on Tuesday, Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the U.S. military.
Hawkins said two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached the tanker, M/V Stena Imperative, at high speed and threatened to board and seize the vessel. Maritime risk firm Vanguard reported that the Iranian boats ordered the tanker to shut down its engine and prepare to be boarded.
Instead, the tanker increased speed and continued its voyage. A U.S. Navy warship, the USS McFaul, moved into the area and escorted the vessel, leading to a de-escalation.“The U.S.-flagged tanker is proceeding safely,” Hawkins said.
Reuters
