An Iranian drone was shot down as it aggressively approached an American aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, a US military spokesman has said.
An F-35C stealth fighter jet which took off from the USS Abraham Lincoln warship shot down the drone in self-defence to protect the aircraft carrier and its personnel, US Central Command spokesman Capt Tim Hawkins said.
The ship was approximately 500 miles from the Iranian coast when the drone approached it with unclear intent. No US equipment was damaged and no service members were harmed.
This incident comes as the US continues to build up a military presence in the region, with tensions high between Washington and Tehran. US President Trump has threatened military action against Iran unless negotiations regarding its nuclear program are undertaken.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that negotiations were scheduled between the US and Iran later this week, emphasizing that Trump prioritizes diplomacy but retains military options.
In related events, Iran's Supreme Leader has previously warned that any attack would lead to a "regional war". Tehran has yet to comment on the drone incident, and military support reportedly de-escalated a separate incident involving harassment of a US-flagged merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
