The United States military shot down an Iran drone on Tuesday after it approached a US aircraft carrier in what officials described as an aggressive manoeuvre, an incident that unfolded against a backdrop of renewed diplomatic efforts and heightened regional tensions.
According to US military officials, the drone moved toward the USS Abraham Lincoln while it was operating in the Arabian Sea. The encounter was first reported by Reuters.
The incident came as diplomats were working to revive nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, even as President Donald Trump warned that failure to reach an agreement could lead to escalation, saying that “bad things” were likely if diplomacy collapsed.
Oil prices climbed by more than $1 a barrel following reports of the drone shootdown, reflecting renewed concerns over regional security.
Drone Shot Down by US Fighter Jet
The US military said the aircraft was an Iranian Shahed-139, which was flying toward the carrier with what officials described as “unclear intent”.
An F-35 fighter jet launched from the Abraham Lincoln intercepted and destroyed the drone.
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defence to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command.
He added that no US personnel were injured and no American equipment was damaged in the incident.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment. Meanwhile, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that contact had been lost with a drone over international waters, though it said the cause was unknown.
Military Buildup as Talks Loom
The Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group represents the most visible element of a US military buildup in the Middle East following Iran’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests last month — the deadliest internal unrest since the country’s 1979 revolution.
While Trump previously stopped short of intervening militarily during the unrest, he has since pushed Tehran to make concessions on its nuclear programme and ordered additional US naval assets toward the region.
Trump said last week that Iran was “seriously talking,” while Iranian official Ali Larijani indicated that arrangements for negotiations were being prepared.
Separate Incident in Strait of Hormuz
In a separate confrontation later on Tuesday, Iranian forces harassed a US-flagged commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the US military.
Captain Hawkins said two boats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, along with an Iranian Mohajer drone, approached the merchant vessel Stena Imperative at high speed and issued threats to board and seize it.
Maritime security firm Vanguard said the Iranian vessels ordered the tanker to stop its engines and prepare for boarding. Instead, the ship accelerated and continued on its route.
A US Navy destroyer, the USS McFaul, moved in to escort the tanker, after which the situation eased.
“The encounter de-escalated, and the US-flagged vessel is continuing its voyage safely,” Hawkins said.