The U.S. military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that "aggressively" approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the U.S. military said, in an incident first reported by Reuters. The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier "with unclear intent" and was shot down by an F-35 U.S. fighter jet, it said. ADVERTISEMENT"An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board," said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the U.S. military's Central Command. No American service members were harmed during the incident and no U.S. equipment was damaged, he added. "Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker," Hawkins said.

Source: The Telegraph February 03, 2026 18:04 UTC