The U.S. military shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone on Tuesday after it approached the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, officials said. An F-35C fighter jet intercepted the drone in self-defence to protect the carrier and its personnel. No U.S. personnel or equipment were harmed.
The incident occurred as U.S.-Iran nuclear talks were being arranged and amid heightened military tensions in the region. Oil prices rose more than $1 per barrel following the news. Iran’s U.N. mission declined to comment, while Iranian media reported a drone lost contact in international waters.
Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps harassed a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel, the Stena Imperative, in the Strait of Hormuz. Two IRGC boats and a Mohajer drone reportedly threatened to board the tanker, which sped away under escort from the U.S. Navy. The situation eventually de-escalated, and the tanker continues safely.
The events highlight ongoing tensions in the Middle East as the U.S. maintains a visible military presence near Iran following domestic unrest and diplomatic negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
